Screaming Infidileties
by SetRobOff
Summary: All the Degrassi characters are grown with lives and careers. Sean and Manny have been having an affair behind their spouses, Emma and Jay's, backs. How much damage will this union cause. This is a rewrite of my original fanfic .
1. As We Lay

*This chapter is named after a song by Shirley Murdock*

The story begins in March of the year 2019 in Toronto, Canada. Many Degrassi characters will be mentioned and/or make an appearance in this story, but the main characters are Sean Cameron(31), Emma Nelson(30), Manny Santos(30), Jay Hogart(32), Liberty Van Zandt(29) and Toby Isaacs(30). Emma is veterinarian; she married Sean during her senior year of college eight years ago. Together, they have a five year old daughter named Dakota. Manny and Jay has been married for almost ten years; they have no children as of yet. Manny had a change of heart and decided to pursue a career as a fashion design professor at a very prestigious Toronto design school. Her original passion was for fashion; acting was a phase. Jay and Sean are both auto-mechanics at the same garage. Liberty is a novice, yet hardworking lawyer; she and Toby fell in love during college and they have been married for five years. They have a twin son and daughter, Ryder and Coral. Toby is a media immersion teacher at Degrassi community school where Mr. Simpson is now the principal.

Manny moaned and panted with every rhythm of Sean's gentle strokes. She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he continued to make love to her. They have been seeing each other behind Emma and Jay's back for nearly a month, but this was their first time having intercourse. The lights were dimmed in the hotel room and radiator combined with body heat kept them warm as they made love. Tears ran down Manny's cheeks; when Sean noticed, he paused.

"What's wrong?" Sean asked her.

"Nothing," Manny replied."It's just that…..hurting Jay and Emma was the last thing I ever wanted to do."

Guilt struck Sean in the heart at that very moment.

"Do you want me to stop?" Sean asked.

"No," Manny responded."I just feel bad. But this….it feels good."

Sean rolled off top of Manny and started staring blankly at the ceiling. Manny moved closer to him and rested a hand on his chest.

"I said you didn't have to stop," Manny said.

"Well, I'm starting to feel bad about this too," Sean admitted.

"Well, we might as well finish what we started," Manny insisted.

"I don't think so, Manny," Sean sighed.

Sean got out of the bed and grabbed his boxers. Before he had the chance to slip them back on, Manny grabbed his arm.

"Sean, please don't leave right now," Manny nearly begged."This will be the only time. I swear."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Sean climbed back in the bed and started making love to Manny again. After an hour of pleasure and ecstasy, Manny fell asleep in Sean's arms. At around six o clock in the morning, Manny's cellphone started ringing. It took several seconds for the the sound of the phone ringing to wake them up. Manny grabbed her phone off of the night table and glanced at the caller ID. It was Jay. However, he hung up before she had a chance to answer it. Looking at the screen, Manny saw that she had fourteen missed calls, all from Jay.

"Shit!" Manny exclaimed."I have to be to work in two hours."

"Alright, let's get moving," Sean said.

They got out of bed, collected their clothes and headed to the bathroom. They took a quick yet thorough shower together to cleanse themselves of the sex they had. When they were finished, they got dressed, checked out of the hotel and headed to their cars. After a quick kiss goodbye, they drove away. While Manny was on the road, she put on the earpiece to her cell phone.

"Let me call this man before he goes insane," Manny muttered.

Manny dialed Jay at home; he answered after three rings.

"Manny, what the hell?!" Jay exclaimed.

"Jay, I told you before I left out last night that I was hanging out with some girlfriends," Manny lied.

"Okay, but why didn't you return my calls?" Jay demanded."Why didn't you tell me you were going to be spending the night out?"

"Because I was completely wasted," Manny lied again.

"What the hell's a matter with you?" Jay wailed.

"What did you expect me to do?" Manny argued."Drive home drunk and possibly get in an accident?"

"How about no drinking at all?" Jay insisted.

"Fine, Dad," Manny muttered.

"Look, I don't want to argue," Jay said."Just don't go crazy next time you go out."

"Okay."

"I love you, baby," Jay told her.

"I love you too."

"I have to get ready for work now," Jay stated.

"Yeah me too," Manny told him."I'm on my way home right now."

"Okay, bye baby," Jay said.

"Bye."

Manny hung up with Jay and proceeded to go home.


	2. The Other Woman

*This chapter is named after a song by Ray Parker Jr.*

By the time Manny arrived home, Jay had already left out to go to work. She entered the house and made her way upstairs to the bedroom. She walked over to her closet to pick out an outfit for work. Her wardrobe consisted of expensive shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, shoes, sneakers, sandals, business-suits and lingerie. Manny picked out a hot pink business-suit with a shiny pair of black heels. After getting dressed, she headed back to her car and drove away to make it to work on time.

Meanwhile, Sean pulled into the driveway of the big, beautiful two-story home he shared with Emma. Their house had four bedrooms (one of which is a den), three bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a spacious backyard, a basement, an attic, a garage big enough for two cars, a deck, two dogs and an outdoor swimming pool. After parking his car, he headed into the house.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, princess," Sean said.

Five-year old Dakota came running towards Sean with her arms stretched out. Sean picked her up and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. Dakota was Sean's pride and joy; the center of his world. She had him wrapped around her finger ever since Emma carried her in the womb. She had Sean's thick, silky eyebrows, Emma's pretty brown eyes and long, blond hair.

"Why are you still in your PJs?" Sean asked."Get dressed for school."

"It's Saturday, Daddy," Dakota said, confused.

"I know, sweetie," Sean chuckled."Daddy's just joking."

Sean gave her another kiss and put her down.

"Sean, you're home?" Emma called from upstairs.

"Yes, baby," Sean called back.

Sean and Dakota headed upstairs. Sean entered the master bedroom and Dakota went into her bedroom. Emma was standing in front of the mirror in her veterinary uniform, putting her hair into a bun.

"Good morning, baby," Sean greeted her.

They kissed.

"Had fun last night?" Emma asked.

"Yeah."

Last night, Sean lied to Emma and told her that he was the spending the night out with some guy friends in his hometown of Wasaga.

"Sean?"

"Yes, baby?"

"How come you never take me to Wasaga with you?" Emma asked.

"It's a shithole," Sean responded with a shrug.

"You don't seem to mind it much," Emma insisted.

"Well, I was born and raised there," Sean told her."Most people are proud of where they're from even if it isn't very pretty."

"Yeah, I guess," Emma sighed.

Sean noticed this glum expression on Emma's face; so he put his warm, muscular arms around her from behind and started kissing her neck.

"What's the matter, baby?" he asked her.

"Last night was the first Friday I've had off since……a while and I was hoping you would want to spend it with me instead of your buddies," Emma stated, bluntly.

"Aaw, I'm sorry, baby," Sean said."How can I make it up to you?"

"Honey, it's not that serious," Emma said.

"Yes, it is," Sean insisted."I hate it when the love of my life isn't smiling. So, tell me. What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Okay, I want a full, hot foamy bathtub waiting for me when I get back home tonight," Emma told him."I want one of your phenomenal massages. Basically, I want you to make me feel like a princess tonight."

"Dakota is my princess; you're my queen," Sean assured her.

"Oh baby, you are so sweet," Emma said."You make me so happy."

"I love you," Sean told her.

"I love you too."

They kissed each other passionately for a few seconds.

"Okay, honey, I have to get to work now," Emma said.

"Okay," Sean said."What time do you get off?"

"At ten."

Emma kissed Dakota goodbye and then Sean walked her to the front door. After saying goodbye, Emma got in her car, pulled out of the driveway and went on her way to work. Sean had the day off that day, so he decided to spend it spoiling Dakota and having fun with her. Sean took her to the mall where he bought her some toys and candy. He also took her to the movies and for some ice cream. With Dakota in the backseat, Sean was driving back home after a whole day of fun. It was about five o clock in the afternoon. A few seconds later, Sean's cell phone rang. It was Manny.

"Hey, baby," Manny said, gleefully.

"Hold on a second, Manny," Sean told her.

Sean glanced back and told Dakota to listen to her Ipod. Dakota was smart enough to know that her parents only told her to do that whenever they were having grownup talk. However, she didn't complain; she did as told. Sean placed the phone back to his ear.

"Manny, why are you calling me baby?" Sean asked her, sternly."What did we talk about last night?"

"You mean besides getting freaky?" Manny joked."We didn't really talk about much. At least not that I recall."

"So, you don't recall saying that last night was going to be the only time we ever…..you know?" Sean reminded her.

"Yeah, I remember saying that but I didn't mean it," Manny admitted."You were about to bail when you started feeling all guilty about cheating on Emma and betraying Jay, so I had to say whatever I could to get you back in the bed."

"Need I remind that you were the one that started feeling guilty when you started crying all of a sudden," Sean pointed out."You almost made me feel like the bad guy even though we were both equally wrong."

"Sorry," Manny said.

"No apology necessary," Sean insisted.

"So, are you serious about what I said last night?" Manny asked.

"The question is, are YOU serious about what you said last night?"

"I asked you first," Manny insisted.

"It depends on your answer," Sean told her.

"I already said no," Manny said.

"Well, there's my answer," Sean said.

Manny beamed." So, does that mean I get to see you tonight?"

"Sure; what time?"

"Well, I have a mandatory staff meeting to attend tonight," Manny reported."It ends at nine, so we can meet at 9:30. We can meet at the same hotel you took me to last night."

"Okay, I'll see you then, baby," Sean said.

After saying goodbye, they hung up with each other. Sean dropped Dakota off at home and called the next door neighbor's teenage daughter, Leah. He offered her forty dollars to watch Dakota until Emma came home and she accepted it. At around 9:15PM, Sean headed out the door and drove to meet Manny at the hotel. He arrived about five minutes late. Manny stood in front of the hotel, shivering slightly. After parking his car, he walked up to her and kissed her on the lips.

"Thank God you weren't ridiculously late," Manny commented."It's freezing out here."

"Not for long, baby," Sean assured her.

They checked into the hotel and then proceeded to their room. Once they got inside, Sean removed his coat. Manny removed her coat and her suit jacket. They sat on the bed and chatted for a few minutes before ordering pizza. When their pizza arrived, they tipped the delivery man and ate. When they were finished eating, they cleansed their breath of garlic scent with some mouthwash. They headed back to the bed and sat down.

"You got room for dessert?" Sean asked.

"I have your dessert right here," Manny said, seductively.

Manny started unbuttoning her shirt, revealing her black pushup bra underneath. The sight of Manny's firm breasts for the second time had Sean mesmerized. Although when he saw them for the first time the previous night, they weren't covered with a bra.

"Nice," Sean said with a nod.

He leaned towards her and they started making out. Before it went any further, Sean's cell phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw that it was Emma.

"Oh shit," Sean gasped.

"What?" Manny asked.

"It's Emma," Sean responded."She's going to kill me."

Manny looked nervously at Sean as he answered his phone.

"Hello?"

"So much for my bubble bath, huh?" Emma asked, angrily.

"Baby, I'm sorry; I left something in Wasaga and I went back to get it," Sean lied."I thought I'd be back in time."

"Whatever," Emma muttered.

"Just wait for me," Sean told her."I'm on my way home. I can still run your bathwater and give you a massage."

"Just forget it," Emma snapped."I'm going to bed."

Before Sean can respond, Emma hung up on him.

"Emma's pissed at me," Sean told Manny.

"Why?" Manny asked."She doesn't have any clue about us. Does she?"

"No," Sean replied."I wouldn't be this calm if that were the case."

Manny sighed in relief.

"We can pick up where we left us some other time," Sean said."I have to get home. I promised her I'd have her bathwater ready by the time she gets off of work. It totally slipped my mind."

"Oh okay," Manny said, disappointedly.

They barely spent an hour together and they already had to leave. After saying good night to each other, they parted ways and drove on home. When Sean arrived home, Dakota was in her bedroom fast asleep with her TV on. Sean quietly stepped in and turned it off. Then he made his way to his bedroom and turned the lights up a little. Their bedroom had dimmers where they controlled the brightness of the lights. Emma, fresh out of the shower, was sound asleep in bed with some warm pajamas on. Sean made his way towards her and kissed her all over her face until she woke up. Emma wiped the wetness off of her face and then glanced up at Sean.

"You don't like my kisses anymore?" Sean asked, jokingly."Why did you wipe them off?"

"I thought you were one of the dogs," Emma told him.

"Baby, I'm sorry about earlier," Sean apologized.

"Stuff happens," Emma insisted."I didn't mean to get so mad. Did you find what you left behind in Wasaga?"

"Yeah. You sure you don't want that massage?"

"I still want it," Emma told him.

While Sean headed to the master bathroom to get some body lotion, Emma removed her pajama top and bra and then laid down on her stomach. Sean removed everything except for his boxers and hung his clothes up in the closet. He walked over to the bed and climbed on it. He sat down over Emma's rump and got to work. He firmly massaged the lotion into her neck, shoulders and back. Emma murmured softly as she enjoyed the comfort. Sean gave her an excellent thirty minute massage before he finished.

"Thank you, baby," Emma said."That felt good as always."

Sean leaned down and started kissing Emma on the back of her neck. He started at her shoulder blades and made his way down to her lower back with gentle kisses and licks. He grabbed her pajama bottoms and started sliding them down.

"Stop, Sean," Emma told him."Not tonight."

Sean paused as Emma pulled her pants back up and started putting her bra and shirt back on.

"What's wrong, Emma?" Sean asked.

"My period is here," she told him.

Damn! Sean thought.

"Goodnight and thanks again for the massage," Emma said.

"You're welcome," Sean murmured.

Emma pecked him a kiss on the cheek and then pulled the covers over her.

Sean was disappointed. First, he had to come home before he got the chance to have sex with Manny again. Then, he came home expecting to get it from his wife instead only to find out that she's on her period. He missed two opportunities to get laid in one night! Sean looked down at his pointless erection and shook his head.


	3. Saving All My Love For You

*The title of this chapter is named after a song by Whitney Houston*

For the next month or so, Sean and Manny continued their affair. They hooked up at least once a week. They were coming home at all hours of the night and their spouses started getting suspicious. However, Emma didn't want to lose trust for Sean. Although it was clear to Sean that Emma was getting annoyed with this situation, he made no attempt to end or even cut back on his affair with Manny. If Emma wasn't confronting him about it, why should he? Jay, on the other hand, was a different story. He didn't approve of his wife staying out all hours of the night and he made no secret about it. As a result, they argued frequently.

"Manny, I'm getting really sick of this shit!" Jay growled.

Manny ignored him as she fastened up her coat and prepared for yet another night out.

"Are you ignoring me?" Jay demanded.

"Jay, give me a break; you sound like a nagging wife," Manny scoffed in annoyance."I thought I was supposed to be the wife?"

"Yeah, you are!" Jay exclaimed."And as the wife, you ought to keep your ass in the house!"

"Jay, you can't tell me what to do," Manny insisted.

"You know what? You're pissing me off!" Jay snapped."I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I just want you to stay home; it's been months since I had a nice, intimate night alone with my wife."

"Yeah, it's been months!" Manny loudly agreed."I've only been going out a lot for about two months now. It's been about six months since you and I had an intimate night alone. So, you started this."

"You're putting this shit on me?" Jay asked, sternly.

"You're damn right I am," Manny retorted."You practically LIVE at work. All you do is work all day long, come home, shower, watch TV and go to bed. Plus, we don't have sex nearly as often as we used to. Sue me for not wanting to hang around and watch you do the same dull routine every day."

"Well, guess what, Manny?" Jay barked."This same dull routine is what keeps our cell phones on, our mortgage paid, our car insurance paid, electricity bill paid, water bill paid……need I continue?"

"Jay, just shut up," Manny snapped."You're starting to piss ME off now. I can't even believe you're actually standing here talking to me as if you are the only one contributing financially to this household. I have a job too; as a matter of fact, I have a CAREER."

"Baby, I never said I was the only one here paying the bills," Jay told her.

"Even if you cut back the amount of time you put into work, you and I would still make enough money to run this household," Manny insisted."But you can do what you want; I'm not going to argue with you about this anymore."

"So, you think I'd rather be at work than at home?" Jay asked.

"I said I'm not going to argue with you about this anymore."

"I'm not arguing," Jay insisted."I'm asking you a question. Do you think I'd rather be at work than at home?"

"I don't know; you tell me," Manny responded.

"The answer is NO," Jay stated."I work long, hard hours to prepare for that baby we plan on having."

"Jay, if you can't even give me the attention I need, how can I expect you to give it to our baby?" Manny demanded.

Jay didn't respond.

"Exactly," Manny smirked."I'll be back later."

Jay watched Manny walk out the door. Manny made her way to her car and started up the engine. When the car was nice and warm, she drove off. Twenty minutes later at around 10:00PM, Manny met Sean at the usual hotel and they made their way to the room. When they walked away, the heavyset, middle-aged woman at the front desk shook her head. She has been seeing Sean and Manny come to the hotel regularly. Due to their wedding rings, she knew that they were both married, but she doubted that they were married to each other. Why else would they meet at a hotel room so often?

Upstairs in their hotel room, Sean and Manny just finished having yet another wild sexual episode. Sweaty and out of breath, they laid side by side, laughing.

"Oh my God," Manny murmured."It gets better every time."

"Years of skill, baby," Sean bragged.

"No kidding," Manny chuckled."Emma is so lucky; I envy her."

"Why?" Sean asked.

"Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit," Manny insisted."Jay isn't that bad in bed. In fact, he's pretty awesome. It's just that he doesn't give it to me as often as he used to. Until recently, I couldn't keep him off of me. He used to crave me all day, everyday and several times a day."

Sean didn't respond.

"Aaaw, are you getting jealous?" Manny teased.

"No, I'm just not exactly comfortable talking to you about our sex lives with my wife and your husband aka your best friend and my best friend," Sean replied."It's not a jealousy thing; it's a discomfort thing."

"Oh."

"Besides," Sean continued."I've gotta be in love with you to be jealous of what you have with Jay."

"So, you're not in love with me?" Manny asked.

"Of course not," Sean told her."Emma will always be number one no matter what. She's my wife."

Manny sighed.

"Manny, we've known each other since grade seven," Sean reminded her."Emma and I LOVED each other since grade seven. You and I are just friends….who happen to have a little lust for each other. You don't honestly think you're in love with me, do you?"

"No, not really," Manny said.

Manny knew it was a lie. This affair was really making Manny fall for Sean. She was very much in love with him. She loved Jay dearly but Sean was beginning to captivate her heart. Unfortunately, Sean wasn't even doing it on purpose. Manny laid there deep into thought; she even felt as if she was going to cry at one point.

"Why are you so quiet now?" Sean asked.

"Nothing," Manny sighed."I'm ready to go home now. This is getting stupid."

"Well, we don't have to do this anymore," Sean insisted.

"Good idea," Manny said, sternly."This is going nowhere."

They both got out of the bed and started getting dressed.

"What do you expect, Manny?" Sean argued."How many times do I have to remind you that we are married? Not only am I married, I have a child."

"Goddamn it, Sean," Manny snapped."I didn't expect much of anything. But I definitely didn't expect to be treated like a whore."

"How do I treat you like a whore?" Sean asked.

"By screwing me in this hotel every week and saying such degrading things like I'm your friend who you just so happen to have a little lust for," Manny replied, sharply.

"Okay, what do you expect me to do?" Sean scoffed."You want me to screw you in Emma's bed and say "Hey Emma, your best friend is my new girlfriend, I hope you two get along just fine"?"

"Whatever, Sean," Manny muttered."I'm glad you think this is funny."

"Manny—" Sean started to say.

"Just don't talk to me right now."

Sean left it alone. After he and Manny finished dressing. They checked out of the hotel and went their separate ways to their cars without even saying goodnight. When Manny arrived home, Jay was too mad to even speak to her. However, when Sean arrived home, Emma called him into the living room. Their two Yorkshire terriers, Penny and Jenny, hopped all over Sean, barking and wagging their tails, as he made his way into the living room. Emma was sitting on the couch wearing a long, beautiful white nightgown. It was a Valentine's Day gift from Sean a few years back.

"You look beautiful, baby," Sean complimented her.

"Thank you," Emma said."Come sit down."

Sean made his way over to the sofa, took a seat next to Emma and kissed her softly.

"Honey, I don't want to fight, but I really want you to stay home more often," Emma stated, very calmly."That's all I ask."

"Okay, baby."

Sean kissed Emma again and then looked into her warm, brown eyes. He had such an amazing, beautiful wife and he realized that sleeping with Manny or any other woman for that matter was not worth it.

"Emma, I love you," Sean told her.

"I love you, too," Emma responded.

"It's been two weeks since we made love," Emma pointed out."Do you want to make love tonight?"

"Sure."

Emma stood up and took Sean by the hand. Together, they headed upstairs to the bedroom.

This will be the first time I ever made love to two women in one night, Sean thought. God give me strength.


	4. Back Off B

*This chapter is named after a song by Guns N Roses*

A week went passed since Sean and Manny hooked up. They weren't even speaking to each other. Manny was feeling bitter and she was mad at herself for allowing herself to catch feelings for Sean, but she couldn't help it. When Manny loved, she loved hard. She always realized the damage and pain she's caused way after the fact. That's the story of her entire love life. Unlike Manny, Sean wasn't feeling bitter. He got what he wanted from Manny and it was an amazing experience. However, Emma would always be his first choice.

Sean and Emma were getting along very well since Sean stopped staying out late all the time. Emma felt that asking him nicely to spend more time at home as opposed to yelling at him and nagging him would make a bigger and better difference. Additionally, Jay was grateful that Manny hasn't been going out much lately and they've been getting along too. They even made love three times during that week. Jay was happy and Manny appeared happy, but she really felt bad. She couldn't get Sean off her mind no matter how hard she tried.

One evening, Sean and Jay were at the work. They were working on a car engine together as they spoke.

"Do you remember how I was telling you about how Manny kept staying out all night for these past couple of months?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Sean replied, nervously.

"Well, she hasn't been doing it much lately," Jay reported."I don't know what made her stop. Maybe she got tired of my complaining. But hey, it's cool. She's doing exactly what I want her to do."

"That's good," Sean said.

For the next hour or so, Jay and Sean chatted with each other. Jay did most of the talking; he realized that Sean's responses were three words long at best. Finally, Sean's shift was over and he gave Jay a five.

"Goodnight, man," Sean told him."I'm going home now."

"Alright," Jay said."You okay? You were kinda quiet today."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sean insisted."I'm just tired."

"Okay."

After saying goodbye, Sean clocked out and went home. Jay worked for a few more hours; at around 11:00PM, he was off. As he drove home, he anticipated four things: taking a long, hot shower, eating whatever meal Manny prepared, making love to Manny and then going to sleep. It took him a little over fifteen minutes to get home. After parking his car, he entered the house and turned on the light. He made his way to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out a plastic container that contained his dinner in it. Manny made some meatloaf with gravy, yellow rice and red beans. As Jay sat down at the kitchen table enjoying his meal, he noticed that Manny left her purse downstairs.

"Babe, you left your purse downstairs!" Jay yelled.

"What?" Manny called from upstairs.

"You left your purse downstairs!" Jay repeated.

"What?!"

"You left your purse downstairs!" Jay repeated again.

"Jay, I can't hear you!"

Annoyed, Jay didn't feel like repeating himself. He went back to eating his food when something caught his eye. The pocket on the side of Manny's purse had the shape of a round object inside of it. Out of curiosity, Jay unzipped the pocket and pulled it out.

"What the hell…." Jay gasped.

In Jay's hand, was a pink case of birth control pills. Angry, Jay grabbed the purse and stormed out of the kitchen. He hurried upstairs and made his way into the bedroom. Manny was sitting on the bed in her nightclothes, leaning against the headboard and watching TV.

"Hey, honey," Manny greeted him."How was work?"

"I was trying to tell you that you left your purse in the kitchen," Jay said, sternly.

He walked over towards the bed and handed it to her.

"Thank you," Manny said.

Jay grabbed the remote and turned the television off.

"Jay, I was watching that!" Manny exclaimed.

"I don't give a shit," Jay snapped."We need to talk right now."

"About what?" Manny asked, nervously.

"This!"

Jay showed her the case of birth control pills. Manny's hand flew up to her mouth in shock.

"I wasn't supposed to know about this, right?" Jay asked, heatedly.

"What were you doing in my purse?" Manny demanded.

"Don't ask me any goddamn questions!" Jay shouted."You better start explaining yourself quick!"

Manny started to tear up as she thought of an excuse.

"I said start explaining yourself!" Jay repeated, harshly.

"Jay, I don't think now is a good time to have a baby," Manny sobbed."You're always busy and like I said before, I don't think you'd be able to give it the attention it needs."

"So, you couldn't just be an adult and tell me that?" Jay asked."You had me sitting around wondering if we conceived yet and you've been taking contraceptives the whole time."

Manny hung her head in shame.

"Got any more secrets, Manny?"

"No," Manny replied, tearfully.

"Well, apparently I can't trust you, so I'm going to find out on my own," Jay declared.

Jay snatched Manny's purse from her and started emptying it out on the bed.

"Jay, what are you doing?" Manny yelled.

She tried to grab her purse back, but Jay moved away.

"Back off, Manny," Jay told her.

Jay investigated the objects that were in her purse. He found a bottle of painkillers, lip gloss, eye-liner, mascara, a small mirror, a notepad, pens and a sheet of paper. Jay picked up the paper and started reading it. It was her credit card statement; it revealed all of the transactions she's made at the Culleyfield Hotel.

"Oh now you REALLY better start explaining yourself," Jay growled.

"Jay I—"Manny started to say.

"What the hell were you doing at the hotel these past couple of months?" Jay demanded.

"I was hanging out with friends," Manny tried to lie.

"You're a liar," Jay snapped."Every time you told me you were out with your girlfriends you told me it was at one of their houses."

Manny knew she was busted at that very moment; she didn't know what to say.

"You're fucking somebody, aren't you?" Jay asked, coldly.

"Jay, I'm sorry," Manny broke down and cried.

"Fuck sorry!" Jay shrieked."Don't cry now. You weren't crying when you were being a little slut behind my back!"

"Don't call me that!" Manny screamed.

Furious, Jay grabbed Manny by the arms, yanked her off the bed and started shaking her."Who the hell is he?!"

"Sean," Manny murmured, lowly.

"Speak louder!"

"It's Sean!" Manny blurted out.

Stunned and disbelieving, Jay released his grip on Manny's arms and backed away. He suddenly felt as if a boulder was crushing his heart, weighing him down. Jay slowly fell to his knees and clutched his chest. There was a sheer tightness in it after learning the identity of his wife's lover, his very best friend, Sean. Jay hung his head as tears dripped onto the floor. Manny reached out to touch his shoulder.

"Get off of me!" Jay screamed, shoving Manny away."Get the fuck out now!"

"I'm sorry, Jay!" Manny cried.

Jay flew into a rage and started breaking various items in the room such as picture frames and vases. Frightened at the sight of Jay's fury, Manny grabbed her purse and coat and bolted out of the house, crying her eyes out. She got in her car and quickly drove away. Back in the house, Jay glanced down at his fists. His knuckles were cut and bloody from punching and breaking things.

"That backstabbing bastard," Jay panted, furiously."I'm not going to be the only one here with a wrecked marriage."

Jay picked up the phone and dialed the Nelson/Cameron residence. If Emma answered the phone, she was going to find out the painful, ugly truth about her husband and best friend.


	5. All Cried Out

AUTHOR'S NOTE: FIRSTLY, I DON'T OWN DEGRASSI. HOWEVER, I DO OWN THE CHARACTER OF DAKOTA WHOSE NAME WAS DIAMOND IN MY ORIGINAL FANFIC. THE SUMMARY OF THIS STORY INDICATES THAT THIS IS A REWRITE. THEREFORE, I KINDLY ASK THAT ANY REVIEWERS THAT HAS READ MY ORIGINAL STORY DO NOT PROVIDE SPOILERS FOR THE NEW READERS/REVIEWERS. I AM THE SAME AUTHOR OF THE ORIGINAL STORY, WHICH I DELETED DUE TO NEGATIVE REVIEWS ABOUT THE ENDING. THIS REWRITE IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME EXCEPT THE ENDING WILL BE DIFFERENT AND THERE WILL BE MUCH MORE DRAMA AND EXCITEMENT THAN THE ORIGINAL. THANK YOU AND ENJOY.

*This chapter is named after a song by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam*

Emma and Sean were in bed sleeping. Emma had her head on Sean's chest and her arm around his torso. Suddenly, Sean woke up. He gently and carefully moved Emma off of him so he can get up. However, he woke her up in the process.

"Baby, you okay?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, my mouth is just dry," Sean told her."I'm going downstairs to get some water."

"Okay."

Sean left the room and headed downstairs into the kitchen. Before Emma had a chance to shut her eyes again, the phone rang. Emma glanced at the caller ID; it read Santos-Hogart, Manuela. So, obviously the call was coming from Jay and Manny's house. Emma picked up the phone.

"Manny, is it important? It's almost midnight," Emma said, groggily.

"This isn't Manny and yes, it is important," Jay stated.

"Oh what's up, Jay?" Emma asked."You want to speak to Sean?"

"No, I'll deal with Sean later," Jay retorted."I called to speak to you."

"O…kay, what's going on?" Emma asked, suspiciously.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Sean was drinking a glass of water and a turkey sandwich. When he was finished, he cleared his dishes, put them away and made his way back upstairs. As soon as he stepped in the room, Emma turned on the lamp. Sean noticed that her eyes were red and teary.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Sean asked.

"I just got off the phone with Jay," she reported."He has the strangest, darkest sense of humor. He told me that Manny confessed to cheating on him…….with you."

Sean's heart began to pound.

Emma laughed and then said."I don't why I'm sitting here crying; I know it's just a joke. You and Manny wouldn't do that to me. Jay's just kidding around, right?"

"I-I don't know…maybe," Sean stuttered.

"Sean, please," Emma said, as tears streaked down her face."You love me too much to do something like that to me. Tell me you wouldn't hurt me like that. Tell me it's not true!"

"Is that what you want to hear?" Sean asked her.

"Sean, I want to hear the truth!" Emma yelled.

She got out of the bed and walked up to Sean. She grabbed him by the front of T-shirt with both hands and looked desperately into his eyes.

"I need you to be honest with me," Emma sobbed."Are you sleeping with Manny? Are you sleeping with my best friend? Please, tell me the truth."

Sean could no longer bear to look his brokenhearted wife in the eye.

"It's true," Sean murmured.

Unexpectedly, Emma slapped Sean hard across the face. Sean was stunned as he touched his stinging cheek.

"Get….out," Emma slowly scowled.

"Baby, I'm sorry," Sean said, regretfully.

"I said get out!" Emma shrieked.

"Emma, please stop screaming," Sean begged."Dakota is sleeping."

"If you would just get the fuck out of my house, I wouldn't have to scream," Emma snapped.

"Emma, let's just talk."

"No, Sean! You have no reasonable explanation for what you did," Emma angrily insisted."Of all the women you could've screwed around with you went for my BEST FRIEND?! How do you justify that?"

"We're not sleeping together anymore, Emma," Sean told her."It's been over for days now."

"It never should've started in the first place!" Emma screamed.

"Baby, I know," Sean said.

"Just get out!"

"I'm sorry, Emma."

"Get the fuck out!" Emma shrieked.

She shoved him and started pounding on his chest with her fists, screaming and cursing at him. Suddenly, Emma collapsed forward directly into Sean's arms. Sean positioned her back onto her feet and held her tightly.

"Get off of me, Sean!" Emma cried over and over.

However, Sean clutched her even tighter until she calmed down a little. Sean's arms were always the arms that made her feel safe and warm throughout their entire relationship. The thought of them being wrapped around Manny or anyone else for that matter was purely unbearable. Emma buried her face into his chest and cried, soaking his shirt with her tears.

"I hate you, Sean," Emma sobbed.

"I know, baby," Sean said, softly."I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."

Sean kissed her on her cheek and neck. Emma glanced up at him with a sad look in her eyes that broke Sean's heart. He succeeded in hurting the woman he loved most in the world. Sean kissed her tenderly on the lips. At first, kissing him was too painful to do, but as Emma closed her eyes, her lips gave in. Sean kissed her passionately as an expression of his apology. A few moments later, Sean held Emma in his arms in bed, comforting her. As she slept, all Sean could do was think about Jay. He knew he was bound to face him soon.

Why did Manny tell him about us? Sean wondered.

When the sun rose up and seeped through the window curtains. Sean got out of bed and quietly walked to the master bathroom, careful not to wake up Emma. He showered and got dressed for work. He walked into Dakota's room and gently shook her awake.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Sean said.

"Good morning, Daddy," Dakota yawned.

"It's time to get ready for school."

When Dakota got out of bed, Sean made sure she brushed her teeth, washed up and got dressed. Emma had the day off that day, so she was still in bed asleep. Sean entered the kitchen and got breakfast started. A little while later, Dakota walked upstairs to the master bedroom. She shook Emma until she woke up.

"Mommy, wake up," she said."Daddy said breakfast is ready."

"Tell Daddy I'm not hungry," Emma said.

"But you always eat breakfast with us, Mommy," Dakota complained.

"Sweetie, I'll eat later."

"Please?" Dakota asked.

"Okay, baby, I'll be down in a minute," Emma gave in.

Dakota smiled and headed back downstairs. A few minutes later, Emma joined Sean and Dakota at the dining room table. Sean made some fluffy pancakes, eggs and crispy bacon. Being that Emma was a vegetarian, Sean didn't serve her any of the latter when he fixed her plate. Sean and Dakota laughed and talked as they ate; Emma, however, remained silent. She was still terribly upset and she could barely taste her food, although it was well-prepared. After they finished their meal, Sean loaded them in the dishwasher and prepared to leave.

"Baby, I'm going to take Dakota to school now and head to work," Sean told her.

Emma nodded. Sean gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her he loves her; she didn't even respond.

"Bye, Mommy," Dakota said.

"Bye, sweetie," Emma said."Be a good girl."

Dakota gave Emma a hug and then followed her father out the door. After they left, Emma buried her face into her hands and cried her eyes out all over again. She desperately needed to talk to someone; she was pained beyond all recognition. This ordeal was the heartbreak of all heartbreaks.


	6. My Immortal

*This chapter is named after a song by Evanescence*

The only place Manny can think of to go was her parents' place. As soon as she arrived there, her parents immediately wanted to know what brought her there at one o clock in the morning. Manny had no other choice but to tell them everything that happened. Manny's strict, conservative parents was appalled at learning that their daughter was put out of her house for committing adultery.

After nearly two hours of severe criticizing and religious lectures, Manny finally had the chance to go to bed. She lied down in her old bedroom and cried herself to sleep. She lost her house and her husband in one night. On top of that, she didn't fall asleep until nearly four o clock in the morning and she had to get ready for work in less than three hours. When she woke up and got dressed, she was very tired as she drove to work.

At around twelve o clock in the afternoon, Emma showered, got dressed and headed to her car. She pulled out of the garage and drove away. A few minutes later, she pulled up in front in the infamous Degrassi Community School. After finding a parking spot, she made her way into the building. It was a cold day for April and a very light snow began to fall. She made her way to the main office and approached the new secretary, Mrs. Barnes. Last time Emma went to the school, there was a different secretary.

"Good afternoon," she greeted her.

"Good afternoon," Emma said."Is Principal Simpson in his office?"

"No, I'm sorry," Mrs. Barnes replied."He just left for lunch less than five minutes ago."

"Oh darn," Emma said.

"Can I take a message?" Mrs. Barnes asked.

"Yes, I'm his daughter, Emma," she told her." Can you please tell him to give me a call on my cell?"

"Certainly," Mrs. Barnes said."He has your number, right?"

"Yes, he does," Emma replied."Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome."

After saying goodbye, Emma left the main office and made her way towards the front door.

"Emma," someone called.

Emma turned around and saw table heading in her direction. He was a media immersion teacher at the school.

"Hey, Toby," Emma said.

She gave him a hug.

"You came by to see Mr. Simpson?" Toby asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied."But the secretary told me he's out for lunch which sucks because I really wanted to talk to him."

"Talk to me instead," Toby insisted."I'm actually heading out for lunch myself; you want to come with me?"

"Sure."

Emma and Toby drove to a local diner for lunch. After ordering their food, they chatted while waiting for their food.

"Why do you look so sad?" Toby asked.

"Sean and Manny had an affair," Emma told him.

Toby's eyes bulged in surprise."What? Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately," Emma sighed.

"How could they do that to you?!" Toby exclaimed.

"That's what I want to know," Emma said, shakily.

"How did you find out?"

"Jay told me," Emma replied.

"How did he find out?"

"He said that Manny confessed it to him," Emma said."I don't know the details of how she told him and frankly, I don't care. She was supposed to be my best friend and she slept with my husband."

"This is beyond terrible," Toby commented with empathy.

"It hurts, Toby," Emma said, with running down her cheeks."I can't even begin to describe the pain my heart feels right now."

"I understand how you feel," Toby told her.

"It's nice to know that you do, because Sean and Manny obviously don't," Emma sobbed."Did they even consider the pain they would cause me if I were to ever find out? And what about Jay?"

"I'm really sorry to hear about this," Toby said.

Emma picked up a tissue and wiped her eyes."Toby, I love Sean so much but I can't be with anymore. He has to go. I can't even imagine when I'll forgive him for what he did to me but I'm sure I will someday. Until then, I don't even want to see his face because it'll just keep breaking my heart."

Toby placed his hand on Emma's hand to comfort her. By the time the waitress came by with their food, Emma had calmed down and stopped crying. She and Toby ate and talked for a while. After finishing their meals, they paid the bill and left a tip. They left the diner and walked in the parking lot for their cars.

"Thanks for being there for me, Toby," Emma said.

"Of course," Toby said."You're my friend."

"What time does Liberty get off of work tonight?" Emma asked.

"Liberty is a lawyer; it's hard to say," Toby responded."The firm is like her second home. She's a total workaholic."

"That's Liberty for you," Emma chuckled.

"I know she's going to be shocked when she hears about this," Toby said.

"Yeah," Emma agreed.

"Alright, Emma, I gotta get back to work."

"Wait, Toby," Emma said."Can you do me a favor?"

"What's up?"

"Can I drop Dakota off at your house tonight?" Emma asked."Would you be able to take her to school tomorrow?"

"Sure," Toby replied."The twins will be happy to see her."

"Thanks, Toby."

"No problem. But why on a school night?" Toby asked.

"Because Sean and I need to talk," Emma responded."I'm kicking him out."

"Oh."

"Just in case the arguing gets heated, I don't want Dakota to hear it," Emma added.

"Alright, I'll keep her for you," Toby said.

"Thanks."

Emma and Toby hugged each other, said goodbye and headed to their cars. Toby drove back to work and Emma drove back home. About an hour later, Emma's stepfather, Archie, returned her call and Emma told him everything. He was extremely disappointed at the news and her mother was equally upset about it. At around 3:00PM, Emma went back out to pick Dakota up from school. When they got back home, Emma fixed her a snack and helped her with her homework. When Emma told her that she would be spending the night at Toby and Liberty's house, she was excited. Dakota got along very well with their kids, Ryder and Coral. Not wanting to kill her daughter's joy, Emma didn't have the heart to tell her that she was going to ask her father to leave.


	7. Silly

*This chapter is named after a song by Deniece Williams*

Later on that evening, Emma dropped Dakota off at Toby and Liberty's house. Liberty still hadn't come home from work yet, so Emma headed back home. Emma sat down in the living room waiting for Sean to get off of work. Finally, at around ten o clock at night, Sean stepped into the door. Emma didn't hear him enter, but she knew he did because she heard the dogs yapping. Sean made his way into the living room.

"Hey baby," he greeted her.

He leaned to kiss Emma but she turned her head so he can only peck her on the cheek.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Wonderful," Emma retorted, sarcastically.

"Okay, I'm going to go shower," Sean told her.

"No Sean, sit down," Emma said."We need to talk."

Sean nervously took a seat next to Emma on the sofa.

"Look baby, you have no idea how sorry I am," Sean said, pleadingly."I really—"

"Sean, I know exactly how sorry you are," Emma cut him off."You have to be a sorry person, indeed, to fuck your wife's best friend who is also your best friend's wife. You can't just apologize for it and expect me to be over it the day after I find out about it."

"I know," Sean said."I know I hurt you and it's going to take a while to get over it. I don't expect you to get over it anytime soon. I screwed up big time, but I love you and I want us to get past this."

"That can only happen if you leave," Emma insisted.

"Baby, no—" Sean started to say.

"I don't want to be with you anymore," Emma interrupted him, with tears in her eyes.

"But what about Dakota?" Sean asked, tearfully.

"You should've asked yourself that question before you decided to cheat on me," Emma snapped.

"Emma, I'm sorry," Sean sobbed.

"Sean, there's no point in saying sorry over and over," Emma told him."I made up my mind and I'm sticking with it."

"Emma," Sean wept.

He took her hand but she pulled away and stood up.

"Don't touch me!" Emma yelled."Just pack your things and go! I want you out tonight."

Sean looked into Emma's fiery eyes and he knew that she was serious. So, he wiped his tears away and stood up.

"Alright, I'll go," he said."But I still love you and I always will."

"Oh please," Emma scoffed, rolling her eyes.

This officially became Sean's biggest regret.

"Please, don't take forever," Emma told him."I have to work tomorrow and I want to get to bed."

Sean didn't respond, he just headed upstairs to the bedroom. He packed as much of his stuff as he could into several suitcases. Moments later, he was finished. After loading his luggage into his car, he pulled out of the garage and drove away. Although watching her first love, husband and father of her daughter leave was painful, Emma had no more tears to cry at the moment. Surprisingly, she actually slept well that night.

As Sean was driving on the road, all he could think about was the pain that he caused. Jay wasn't at work earlier, so he didn't face him yet. However, he dreaded it with every bone in his body. How would Dakota take it when she finds out that he's gone? His cell phone ringing interrupted his thoughts. It was Manny; she had been calling him constantly that day, but he kept ignoring it. However, Sean answered it this time.

"What do you want, Manny?" Sean snapped.

"I've been trying to call you all day," Manny told him.

"I'm aware."

"So, why didn't you return my calls?" Manny demanded.

"Look Manny, just leave me alone right now," Sean told her."Because of you, I got kicked out of my house."

"Because of me?!" Manny exclaimed."What do you mean because of me?"

"Emma told me that Jay told her that you confessed to him about us," Sean retorted."What the hell were you thinking? Did you expect him to be forgiving about something like this?"

"I didn't just come right out and confess anything to Jay," Manny insisted."He started going through my purse. He found my birth-control pills and my credit card statement. That was all the evidence he needed, so I had no choice but to tell him the truth."

"I just don't understand," Sean groaned."We stopped seeing each other over a week ago. Everything was going fine in my house and now I don't even have a house."

"Neither do I," Manny sighed."Jay kicked me out too."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," Sean said."But I need to go. I need to think about what I'm going to do right now."

"Actually Sean, I was thinking maybe we should get our own place," Manny suggested.

"What?!"

"I know it sucks that our marriages are damaged," Manny said."But maybe this could be our chance to be together."

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Sean snapped.

"Sean, please don't be like that," Manny pleaded."I love you; I can't deny it anymore."

"Well, I don't love you!" Sean barked.

"What?"

"You heard me," Sean growled."I don't love you and I never will. The fact that you thought that I would even consider being with you one hour after losing my wife really pisses me off. Maybe you don't feel the same for Jay as I do for Emma, but that's not my problem. Don't ever fucking call me again."

"Sean, don't try and tell me how I felt or didn't feel about Jay," Manny snapped."I can't believe you could be so fucking selfish. After all of our dates and all of those times we made love, you honestly feel nothing for me? Was I just a piece of ass to you?"

"You know what?" Sean retorted."That's exactly what you were! Goodbye, Manny!"

"Sean, wait!"

Sean hung up on Manny, turned his cell phone off and continued driving. He was appalled and angered at Manny's nerve. How could she possibly want to be with him and think he would want to be with her? Didn't she think they needed more time to mourn their breakups? However, it didn't matter to Sean. He had no intention on ever being with her anyway.

Manny buried her face into her pillow and cried. She never felt so dirty, so silly and so used in her entire life. She put her marriage on the line to be with Sean and love him. Knowing that he didn't feel the same way broke her heart. However, she accepted the fact that half of it was her fault. She wished she never began an affair with Sean and she wished didn't love him like she did.

Emma woke up the next morning, ate a light breakfast, showered, dressed and drove to work. Emma loved her profession as a veterinarian simply because she loved animals. Work was like a whole other world to her. No matter what was troubling her in her personal life, she never let it interfere with her work and she always kept a smile on her face. She was definitely one of the most respected doctors in the animal clinic. Finally, at around nine o clock at night, Emma got off.

Earlier that morning, Toby had taken Dakota to school and Christine, Emma's mother, picked her up. At around 9:45PM, Emma arrived at her parents' house to pick up Dakota. She rang the doorbell; Christine answered a few seconds later. Being that she gave birth to Emma at such a young age, she was only in her mid-forties and she looked absolutely great for her age.

"Hey Mom," Emma said.

"Hey sweetie," Christine said.

They hugged each other closely. Emma's mother has always been like her best friend and a confidant. When they released each other, Christine led her into the house. Christine hated to see her daughter in pain; Sean's betrayal had a bad impact on her as well.

"Dakota's downstairs playing," Christine told her."After we straighten up down there; I'll get her."

"Okay."

Emma took a seat on the couch and waited. The basement was Emma's old bedroom; now it became a playroom and bedroom for Dakota whenever she came to visit. Archie came into the living room and sat next to Emma.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi, Dad," Emma said.

"Are you feeling okay?" Archie asked.

"I'm hanging in there," Emma replied.

"You'll be okay," Archie assured her.

"Being that I kicked Sean out, there are a few adjustments I have to make," Emma said."For one, I'm glad that tonight is a Friday night because it's way past Dakota's bedtime. Sean is usually there to put her to bed on the weekdays."

"Is there any way we can help?" Archie asked.

"Dad, I wouldn't want to inconvenience you in any way," Emma said.

"Emma, don't be ridiculous," Archie insisted."You're having a hard time; your mother and I want to be there for you."

"Thanks," Emma said."I made Sean leave his keys behind before he left, so I'll give them to you. Whenever I'm working this late on the weekdays, you can put Dakota to bed at eight and stay at the house until I get home."

"Okay," Archie agreed."Between me, your mom and Jack, I'm sure it'll work."

Emma chuckled."Come on, Dad. Jack is a fifteen year old boy, I'm sure he'd rather die than to babysit his niece."

"That's not true," Archie insisted."Jack adores Dakota."

"I know," Emma said."I adored Jack too. But I didn't like babysitting very much when I was his age."

Archie shrugged. A moment later, Christine and Dakota entered the living room.

"Hi, Mommy," Dakota said.

"Hi, baby," Emma said.

After saying goodbye to her parents, Emma got Dakota settled in her car seat and drove her home. Nervously, Emma prepared to have a heartbreaking talk with her. They sat down in the living room and Emma told her that her father was leaving. She held her daughter in her arms as she cried her eyes out. Revealing the news was equally as heartbreaking for Emma as receiving it was for Dakota.

"Everything's going to be fine, sweetie," Emma assured her, wiping her tears."Okay?"

Dakota nodded as she continued to weep. Emma gave her a soft kiss on her forehead and clutched her tightly.


	8. Get Money

*This chapter is named after a song by Junior Mafia*

On that Saturday morning, Jay woke up and walked to the bathroom. He showered and got dressed for work. He called out of work the previous day; he knew that if he ran into Sean he just might kill him. It was impossible to figure out who he was more furious with, Sean or Manny. He left out the door, got in his car and backed out of the driveway. He drove to work and parked his car. After clocking in, he headed into the garage. He told himself that he was going to refrain from doing Sean any harm; however, when he saw him, he just snapped.

Sean was changing the tire on someone's car when he heard loud, rapid footsteps behind him. As soon as Sean turned around, he was greeted with a sharp punch across the face. The blow caught Sean by surprise as he fell backwards against the car; he stood straight up and looked at an enraged Jay. Before Jay can continue his attack, the other mechanics rushed over and held him back. Sean didn't dare retaliate. It wasn't because he was afraid; it was because he knew that he deserved it.

"Get the fuck off of me!" Jay cursed at the mechanics.

The mechanics didn't let him go. They held him and tried to calm him down until the boss, Al, arrived on the scene.

"What the hell is going on?!" Al angrily demanded.

"Jay is trying to fight Sean," one of the mechanics replied.

Al was bewildered; he thought Sean and Jay were the best of friends.

"In my office, NOW!" Al ordered.

The mechanics slowly released Jay. He and Sean followed Al into his office and took a seat. Al took a seat behind his desk and glared at Sean and Jay.

"If you two weren't my best mechanics, I'd fire both of your asses!" Al barked.

"Well, something needs to done," Jay muttered.

"Jay, do I look like I'm in the mood for sarcasm?" Al snapped."Don't play games with me. If you want me to fire you, I will."

"That's not what I meant," Jay told him."We just need to be on separate shifts for now on."

"If that's what it's going to take to keep the peace, then so be it," Al insisted."What the hell happened with you two? I thought you guys were best friends."

"We were," Jay responded."Until he decided to fuck my wife. I can't believe—"

"That is none of my business," Al interrupted him."Sean, what goes on your personal lives does not concern me, so I'm going to save you from a lecture."

"Thank you," Sean snapped.

"Truth hurts, Sean?" Jay scowled."You don't want everyone to know that you're a lying, backstabbing piece of shit?"

"Enough!" Al yelled."Jay, go home and cool down. I'll talk to Lionel about putting you on the night shift."

"Thank you," Jay said.

A few minutes later, Al dismissed them from his office. Sean went back to work and Jay clocked out. He drove back home and headed upstairs to his bedroom. He fixed himself something to eat and he went back to sleep. Hitting Sean only made him feel a little better, but he was still hurt and livid. His depression weakened him and made him so tired that he slept until nearly six o clock that evening. When he finally woke up, he changed into a T-shirt and sweatpants.

It's been three days since Jay kicked Manny out and she hasn't been back for her belongings yet. He figured she was nervous about running into him again. Jay needed some excitement and fun to get his mind off of his problems, so he picked up the phone and called his old friend, Towerz.

"Hello?" Towerz answered.

"What's up, Towerz," Jay said."How you doing, man?"

"Chillin'," Towerz replied."What about you?"

"Pissed off," Jay told him.

"Damn, what happened?" Towerz asked.

"I kicked Manny out," Jay replied."I found out she cheated on me with Sean."

"What?!" Towerz exclaimed.

"It's true," Jay sighed.

"You alright, man?"

"I'm trying to be," Jay said."You busy tonight?"

"Not really," Towerz said."Why?"

"Why don't you call some of the guys and come over for a little party," Jay suggested."We can play some cards, talk and have a few beers."

"Sounds cool," Towerz agreed."It's been a while. Your wife can't stand us."

It was true. Ever since Manny and Jay got married, Jay didn't spend much time with his friends. They were all thugs and they've gotten in a lot of legal trouble since high school. Manny never wanted Jay to bring them around her.

"Well, my wife is out of the picture," Jay said."I've been giving too much of my time to her and Sean that I almost forgot about my other friends."

"Cool," Towerz said."I'll be over in a few."

"Cool," Jay said."Bring some chicks."

"Dude, what's a party without chicks?" Towerz said.

"True," Jay agreed."Later."

"Later."

After hanging up with Towerz, Jay headed over to the closet and examined all of Manny's clothing. Being that she was gone, he was going to need a lot of money to pay all of the bills on his own. So, selling some of her items would be a start. He grabbed a couple of crates and filled them to the brim with some of her suits, dresses, skirts, shirts, jeans and shoes. Manny's taste in fashion was very expensive. He carried them downstairs to the kitchen and put them under the table.

At around seven o clock that night, the guests arrived. The guests were Towerz, Towerz's girlfriend Keisha, four of Keisha's girlfriends, a guy named Joe, a guy named Charlie and Jay's high school sweetheart, Alex Nunez. Alex is thirty-one years old. After breaking up with Jay for cheating on her, she came out as a lesbian in high school. She is now a physical therapist. Despite their rocky past, Jay and Alex remained good friends.

After greeting his guests, they all gathered around the kitchen table. Jay served everyone a can of beer as they played cards, smoked marijuana and chatted with each other. Loud rap music blared from the stereo. Everyone was shocked to hear about Jay's problems.

"Well, you knew Manny wasn't exactly a saint in high school," Alex reminded him.

"I thought I changed her," Jay sighed.

"I'm really sorry about this, Jay," Alex told him.

"I am so goddamned pissed," Jay stated."I would've much rather her screw a hundred strangers than my one best friend. Anyone but my best friend!"

"That's fucked up," Joe commented.

"Completely," Charlie agreed.

The eleventh track on the mixed rap CD came on. It was the song "Get Money" by Junior Mafia.

"Wow, Jay," Towerz said."This song really relates to what you're going through right now."

"It actually does," Towerz girlfriend Keisha agreed.

"Yeah, well that's exactly what I'm about to do," Jay declared."Get money!"

"How exactly are you going to do that?" Alex asked.

"I'll tell you in a minute," Jay replied."Turn that shit up."

One of Keisha's friends, Nancy, stood up, walked over to the stereo and turned the volume up. Jay took a glimpse at her curvy legs in those tight jeans she was wearing.

Damn, she's hot, Jay thought.

Nancy sat back down at the table and smiled at Jay. She knew he was staring at her.

"This is the part that relates to my situation the most," Jay said.

Everyone listened as Jay rapped along with the Notorious B.I.G.," Picture life as my wife; just think. Full-length mink, Fat X and O links. Bracelets to match, conservation was all that, showed you the safe combinations and all that. Guess you could say you're the I trusted, who would ever think that you would spread like mustard."

After that song went off, Jay pulled the crates with Manny's things in them from under the table.

"Any of you girls want to go shopping?" Jay asked."I'm selling these for half of what their worth."

Excited, the women browsed through the crates looking for something interesting. They saw this as the perfect opportunity to purchase some high-fashion clothing items such as Gucci, Armani and Prada for a lower price. They all scraped up some money and Jay managed to sell everything in the crates. He earned a very decent chunk of change. Afterwards, they sat back down and played another few rounds of spades, poker and bull. A little while later, Nancy stood up, carrying a bag of the clothes she purchased.

"Jay, I am so dying to try these on," Nancy told him."Is there anywhere I can go to try them on?"

"Yeah, follow me," Jay replied.

Jay guided Nancy upstairs to his bedroom and shut the door. Jay stared at Nancy with lust as she removed all of her clothing except her bra and panties. He watched her try on each outfit and he complimented her each time. Nancy was tall and athletic-looking. She had long, dark hair and big, pretty light eyes.

"Thanks, Jay," Nancy said.

"I should be thanking you," Jay insisted."I'm the one that made the profit."

"Your wife is going to freak," Nancy said.

"My wife IS a freak," Jay cracked.

Nancy giggled at his joke. A few seconds later, she changed back into the clothes she arrived in. She and Jay went back downstairs and partied for a couple more hours. At around midnight, everyone cleaned up and went home. However, Nancy stayed behind with Jay. A short, simple conversation led to some wild, steamy sex that night and they fell asleep as soon as they finished. At around seven o clock that morning, the phone rang. Jay reached over Nancy's sleeping body and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Jay, can I come by to get my things?" Manny asked.

"Sure, whatever's left," Jay told her.

Jay hung up on Manny and a devilish grin flashed across his face. Manny was dumbfounded and speechless.


	9. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

*This chapter is named after a song by Aerosmith*

Later that evening, Manny stopped by to get the rest of her things. She threatened to take him to court for selling her clothes without her permission but Jay threatened to sue her for spousal support. Being that Manny cheated, the court would most likely rule in Jay's favor. So Manny just blew it off and took her things out of the house. She was terribly upset and she even thought about begging for Jay's forgiveness, but it was highly improbable that he'd accept her apology so soon. Manny eventually found an apartment in the same building her parents lived in. Sean stayed with her parents in Wasaga until he found a place of his own.

Over the next five months, the separated couples thought about each other every day, but they tried to remain strong. They never imagined that something so horrible would tear their marriages and friendships apart. Sean was pretty sure he lost Emma for good this time; he never felt so regretful in his entire life. Dakota had turned six over the summer and she began grade one that fall.

One Friday afternoon, Sean arrived in the hall of Dakota's elementary school after the children were dismissed.

"Daddy!" she cheered.

Dakota ran over and leapt into her father's arms. He picked her up and squeezed her gently. Even though he spent time with her everyone weekend, he still missed her and she missed him. Sean pecked her a kiss and put her back down. They held hands as they exited the building.

"How was your first day of grade one?" Sean asked.

"Good," Dakota replied.

"Do you have a bag packed for weekend, baby?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, Mommy packed it for me," Dakota told him."She told me to tell you to pick it up from Grandma and Grandpa's house."

"Okay, sweetie," Sean said.

They headed to the parking lot and Sean got Dakota strapped in the car seat. It took him a little over ten minutes to arrive at Christine and Archie's house. After parking the car, Sean and Dakota walked up to the front door and rang the bell. A few seconds later, Jack answered the door. He was nearly sixteen years old, very tall and muscular. He just started grade eleven at Degrassi Community School.

"Hey, Uncle Jack," Dakota said.

"Hey, kiddo," Jack said."What's up, Sean?"

"How you doing?" Sean asked.

They gave each other a five and then Jack led them inside. Jack was just about to leave, so he grabbed his skateboard.

"Where are your parents?" Sean asked.

"They'll be down in a sec," Jack said.

After giving Dakota a kiss goodbye, Jack headed outside. Archie and Christine headed downstairs and greeted Sean.

"Do you have Dakota's weekend bag?" Sean asked.

"It's in the living room," Archie replied.

"Thanks," Sean said.

He headed into the living room to get Dakota's bag. Archie and Christine followed behind him.

"Sean, can we talk to you before you leave?" Christine asked.

"Um, sure," Sean said.

He knew exactly what was coming. He hasn't seen or spoken to Christine and Archie during those five months he and Emma had been separated. Christine asked Dakota to go downstairs and play so they can talk. After Dakota was out of sight, Sean took a seat on one sofa while Archie and Christine sat on the other.

"Sean, we are extremely disappointed in you and Manny," Christine told him.

"I know," Sean nodded with a sigh.

"I don't think you do," Christine insisted."You caused Emma a great deal of pain. And Jay."

"Believe me, Christine, I feel terrible," Sean stated.

"Can you imagine how terrible Emma feels?" Archie asked, sternly."She has been a great wife and a great friend to you and Manny. She doesn't deserve this."

Sean stared down at his lap in shame.

"Emma's not perfect, but she's great," Archie continued."I was a teacher to all of you at one point. You and Manny lived in our house at one point? Do you remember that?!"

"Of course I do," Sean said.

"Archie lower your voice," Christine told him."Look Sean, we know you're sorry."

"I am," Sean said.

"Do you love Emma?" Christine asked.

"Of course," Sean said.

"Well, you need to fix this," Christine insisted."She may be upset, but I'm pretty sure there's still hope for you two."

After a few more minutes of talking, Sean took Dakota and left. Throughout the entire drive to Wasaga, Sean thought about his conversation Emma's parents. He prayed with all his heart that he didn't lose Emma forever. He wanted to make things right with Jay too, but he missed Emma even more.

"Daddy, why are you so quiet?" Dakota asked from the backseat.

"I'm just thinking, baby," Sean replied.

"About Mommy?" Dakota said.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Sean asked.

"I can read your mind," Dakota told him.

"Oh really?" Sean chuckled.

"Maybe," Dakota shrugged.

"I love you, sweetie," Sean told her.

"I love you, too, Daddy."

Sean had fun taking care of Dakota that weekend. They missed each other so much and they were happy whenever they were around each other. At night, however, Sean would lie awake in bed and think of Emma. It never hurt so much to miss someone. He wondered if part of her felt the same way. Was she happy that he was gone?

Sunday arrived and Sean had just come back from taking Dakota to a matinee. They headed back to his apartment and walked into the kitchen. He fixed her something to eat while he packed her bag to go back home. At around four o clock, Sean drove Dakota back to Toronto. Two hours later, they arrived at Emma's house at around six o clock. Sean pulled up in front of the house and rang the doorbell. Archie answered it a few seconds later.

"Hey guys," he greeted them.

"Hi, Grandpa," Dakota said.

Dakota gave Archie a hug.

"Had a nice weekend with your Dad?" Archie asked.

Dakota nodded.

"Bye, sweetie," Sean told her.

"Bye, Daddy," Dakota said."Thanks for the doll."

"You're welcome, baby."

Sean gave Dakota a hug and a kiss.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

Dakota headed into the house.

"What time does Emma get off of work?" Sean asked.

"9:30," Archie replied.

"Okay, thanks," Sean said.

"Sean, I'm sorry if I sounded harsh on Friday," Archie apologized."It's just that, Emma's my daughter and I just want to protect her."

"I understand," Sean said.

"Have a goodnight," Archie told him.

"You do the same," Sean said.

After saying goodbye, Sean got back in his car and drove back to Wasaga. Once he got back home, he showered and changed into a wifebeater and pajama bottoms. At around eleven o clock that night, Sean called Emma at home.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Emma," Sean said.

"Hey, Sean," she said, softly.

"I had a long talk with your parents on Friday," Sean reported.

"They told me," Emma said, sharply.

"Do you want to talk?" Sean asked.

"Not really," Emma replied.

"Well, I know it means nothing to you, but I'm still sorry," Sean told her."I would really like for us to talk."

"Sean, I have to work tomorrow and I'm tired," Emma said.

"I understand, but will you at least think about it?" Sean asked.

Emma sighed and said."Fine."

"Okay, I'm sorry for keeping you," Sean said."Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Emma said.

"I love you," Sean said.

"Goodnight, Sean," Emma scoffed.

Emma hung up. The call didn't end exactly the way Sean hoped, but he was grateful that Emma was willing to think about talking to him. That was a big step after five months of being angry with him.


	10. Especially For You

*This chapter is named after a song by Kylie Minogue*

The next day, on a breezy afternoon, Emma was in her office examining an elderly woman's elderly gray cat.

"Okay, Mrs. Denton," Emma said."As usual, she's in better health than most cats her age. As long as you stick to the diet I suggested for her and keep giving her the meds on time, she should be fine."

"Thank you," Mrs. Denton said.

"I'll write a new prescription for the other pills she needs," Emma told her.

The phone rang and Emma excused herself as she answered it.

"Dr. Nelson-Cameron speaking," Emma said.

"Yes Doctor, you have a call on line two," the receptionist reported.

"Thanks, Heidi," Emma said.

Emma switched to line two and said hello.

"Hey Emma, it's Liberty."

"Hey Liberty," Emma said.

"Are we still meeting for lunch?" Liberty asked.

"Absolutely," Emma told her."I'll call you back; I'm just finishing up with a patient."

After hanging up with Liberty, Emma wrote down the prescription for the cat's medication. When she dismissed her patients, Emma headed out of the clinic for her lunch break. She met Liberty at a nearby pizza place for lunch. While they were eating, they chatted.

"This suit is expensive, Emma," Liberty said."I am going to kill you if I get any sauce on it."

"Why me?" Emma asked."It'll be your fault."

"Because it was your idea to come here," Liberty replied.

"Whatever," Emma chuckled.

"This pizza is awesome though," Liberty commented.

"I'm glad I actually had the opportunity to drag you away from work for a few minutes," Emma told her."We haven't hung out together in a while."

"I know, Emma," Liberty said."I feel terrible for being so busy all the time. I wished I could've been there to talk to you more often. I know you've been feeling horrible these past few months after Sean……you know. Plus, I have a husband and two kids at home who need me. I work too much."

"I understand and I'm sure Toby does too," Emma assured her.

"Yeah," Liberty sighed.

"My parents had a talk with Sean this pass Friday," Emma said.

"They told him off, didn't they?" Liberty asked.

"Something like that," Emma said."Also, whatever they said to him is making him think he has a chance at getting back together with me."

"Does he have a chance?" Liberty asked.

"I really can't say, Liberty," Emma sighed."Sean hurt me really, really badly. Words can't even express how bad he hurt me. He wants to sit down and have a calm, rational talk about this but I'm not sure where it'll go from there."

"I know Dakota must miss him like crazy," Liberty commented.

"Oh God, you have no idea," Emma stated."Sean is Dakota's hero. She loves him sooo much and she has a good reason to. Sean is a really great father. I can't deny that."

"That's good," Liberty said.

"Sean was a great husband, too," Emma continued."That's why this whole thing still surprises me. I'm not sure if I want to give him another chance or not."

"Well, either decision wouldn't be a bad one," Liberty insisted.

"If I took him back it'll make Dakota very happy," Emma said.

"Yeah, but I don't think people should use their children to try and fix a troubled marriage," Liberty told her.

"Yeah, you're right," Emma agreed.

"You have to decide what's best for you, Emma," Liberty advised her."Whether or not you and Sean are talking, Dakota will always have a relationship with her father."

"I know," Emma said."But if I did take him back, it'll be because I love him. I really do love him, Liberty."

"I know you do," Liberty nodded.

Emma sighed.

"So, what about Manny?" Liberty asked.

"Manny is a whole different story," Emma said."I can't imagine forgiving her anytime soon."

"Why would Sean be easier to forgive than Manny?" Liberty questioned.

"Because at least Sean has been breaking his neck to get me to forgive him," Emma replied."It's been five months since my so-called best friend slept with the only man I've ever loved and she hasn't even attempted to apologize to me yet."

"I talked to Manny recently," Liberty said."She's really sorry, Emma. She wants to talk to you and apologize; she just can't build up the nerve to face you."

"But she can build up the nerve to fuck my husband, right?" Emma retorted.

Liberty didn't know what else to say.

"I have a lot to think about, Liberty," Emma sighed."I don't know what I'm going to do."

"It'll be alright," Liberty assured her.

They chatted for a few minutes more until it was time for them to head back to work. They hugged each other, headed back to their cars and drove back to work. Emma went back to the animal clinic and continued working until nine o clock at night. After she finished working, she got in her car and started driving home. While waiting on a red light, Emma put on her earpiece to her cell phone and dialed Sean. He answered after two rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sean, it's me," Emma said.

"Hey, Emma," Sean said.

"I've been thinking about everything and I would like for us to talk, too," Emma told him.

"Okay," Sean said."You want to go first?"

"Actually, I prefer we talk in person," Emma insisted."I know it's late and I know you live about two hours away but—"

"Don't worry about it, Emma," Sean said."I'm just happy that you're willing to talk to me now. I'll be over as soon as I can."

"Okay," Emma said.

"Bye."

"Bye."

Twenty minutes later, Emma arrived home and entered the house. Christine was sitting in the living room watching television. Emma headed into the living room.

"Hey Mom," Emma said.

"Hey, Emma," Christine said."As usual, Dakota's upstairs sleeping."

"Thank you," Emma said.

"Are you okay?" Christine asked.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," Emma replied."Sean is on his way over. We're going to talk."

"Oh okay," Christine said."That's a start."

"I'm not even sure if I'm trying to start anything back up," Emma told her."I just don't want to be angry with him anymore."

"Yeah," Christine agreed.

Eventually, Emma said goodnight to her mother as she went back home. Emma walked upstairs and checked on Dakota; she was fast asleep in her room. Emma went into the master bathroom, showered and changed into her favorite nightgown, the one Sean gave her a few years ago for Valentine's Day. At around 11:30PM, the doorbell rang and the dogs, Penny and Jenny, barked excitedly. Emma went downstairs and opened it. She was greeted by Sean.

"Hey Sean," Emma said.

"Wow, you're wearing our favorite nightgown," Sean said with a smile.

"Only because I have nothing else to wear," Emma blushed."Come inside."

As Emma let Sean back into the house, the dogs jumped all over Sean, wagging their tails. It has been five months since he's been around and they still remembered his scent. Sean missed them too. He petted and played with the dogs for a few seconds then he met Emma in the living room. They sat side by side on the couch.

"Sean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss you," Emma told him.

"I miss you, too," Sean said, sincerely.

"Do you still love me?" Emma asked him.

"I never stopped loving you," Sean said."I was hoping that you feel the same."

"I do," Emma said, with tears in her eyes."But loving you shouldn't have to hurt this much."

"I know, baby," Sean said, softly."It doesn't have to."

Sean reached out and gently wiped a tear from Emma's cheek.

"Sean, you have to promise me that you will never break my heart this badly ever again," Emma started to cry."I want to forgive you; but you have to make me that promise."

"I promise, baby," Sean told her, looking directly into her eyes.

"Thank you, Sean," Emma said, as her tear flow increased.

"I love you," Sean said.

"I love you, too."

They lips reconciled after a five-month disconnection. Their hands roamed each other's bodies as they kissed each other feverishly. They made love wildly yet passionately until the early morning. They were happy to be back together after all this time. As Sean held Emma in his arms, he was amazed at how easily she forgave him that night. He hope that Jay would do the same.


	11. Count On Me

*This chapter is named after a song by Whitney Houston and Cece Winans*

At around six o clock in the morning, Emma and Sean were fast asleep on the sofa after their hot makeup sex session. Emma was lying on top of Sean with her head on his chest. Sean had his arms around her firmly. Finally, Emma woke up and gasped. The living room is a public domain and Emma couldn't believe that they just had sex and fell asleep naked in there.

"Sean, wake up," Emma said, shaking him.

Sean woke up."What's wrong, baby?"

"We have to go upstairs," Emma told him."We don't want Dakota to catch us like this."

"She won't wake up until one of us wakes her up," Sean insisted."And she never comes downstairs by herself."

"I know," Emma said."But this is awkward."

"Alright, baby," Sean yawned.

Emma and Sean got off the sofa, grabbed their clothes and hurried upstairs to their bedroom. An hour later, Sean showered and got dressed for work. Emma had the day off. She put on a T-shirt and some leggings and then she went into the kitchen to get breakfast started. Sean walked into Dakota's room and woke her up.

"Good morning, sweetie," Sean said.

"Daddy, what are you doing here?" Dakota asked with a smile.

"I'm back home, baby," Sean told her.

"Really?!" Dakota exclaimed.

Sean nodded."Mommy and I reconciled."

"What does that mean?" Dakota asked.

"It means we're back together," Sean responded.

"Yaay!" Dakota cheered.

She jumped into Sean's arms and they hugged each other tightly.

"Are you taking me to school today, Daddy?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah."

Sean carried her to the bathroom and made sure she washed up and brushed her teeth. By the time Dakota was dressed, Emma finished cooking breakfast. She called them down to eat. Sean and Dakota joined Emma at the table and the three of them ate like a family again. After they were finished, Emma loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Dakota, grab your backpack," Sean told her.

"I have to use the bathroom first," Dakota said.

"Okay, baby."

Once Dakota was out of sight, Emma spoke up.

"I want to talk to Manny," she said."You and I made up; so maybe she and I can do the same."

"You don't have to feel obligated to make up with her," Sean said.

"I don't feel obligated," Emma insisted."This is what I want to do."

"I'd like to put what I did behind us," Sean told her."That includes Manny."

"Manny has been my best friend since we were Dakota's age," Emma stated."Younger as a matter of fact. Manny is no more to blame for my heart getting broken than you are. If I can forgive you, I can forgive her too."

"I understand," Sean sighed."It's just that, Manny and I aren't on good terms. We had a really nasty argument the night you kicked me out."

"Well, Manny is my best friend and you are my husband," Emma said."It really doesn't matter if you two aren't on good terms anymore. If I get you both back in life, you two don't need a relationship with each other to have a relationship with me. In fact, I prefer it that way, knowing that you slept with her and all."

"Yeah, you're right, baby," Sean agreed.

"She hasn't called me in five months to apologize, but I know she wants to," Emma told him."So, I'm going to be an adult and call her first."

"Well, that's great," Sean stated, sincerely."I just hope Jay will find it in his heart to forgive me someday."

"Honey, I'm sure he will," Emma said.

She smiled and then kissed Sean on the lips just as Dakota came back from the bathroom.

"Have a nice day, guys," Emma said."I love you both very much."

"I love you, too," Sean and Dakota said in unison.

"Jinx!" Dakota exclaimed.

Sean chuckled. Emma gave Sean another kiss and then she gave Dakota a hug. After they left, Emma grabbed her cell phone and texted Manny's cell phone.

It read: Hi Manny, call me when u get a chance- Emma

At the design school that Manny worked at, she was just finishing up with a class.

"Before I dismiss you all, I'd like to show you something," Manny announced.

The class watched as Manny removed a long, elegant red dress from a white box.

"That dress is so nice," a student commented.

"Who's the designer?" another student asked.

"An old schoolmate of mine," Manny replied."This dress won't be in stores for another month or so but she gave this to me as an exclusive."

"Who?" the students asked, eagerly.

"Famous fashion designer, Paige Michalchuk," Manny told them.

The class began to roar with a series of questions and comments.

"That's Paige Michalchuk's design?"

"That is so cool!"

"You went to school with Paige Michalchuk?"

After the excitement died down, Manny dismissed her class. She made her way out of the building to brag something for lunch. It was one o clock in the afternoon. She turned her cell phone on and saw that she had an unread text message. She was thrilled to see that it was from Emma. Manny immediately dialed Emma back.

"Hello?" Emma answered.

"Oh my God, Emma!" Manny cheered."I'm so glad to hear from you. I miss you so much! I'm so sorry about everything!"

"I'm glad to hear from you too," Emma told her."What are you doing right now?"

"I'm on my lunch hour right now," Manny replied."I don't have another class until three."

"Do you want to meet at the Dot for lunch?" Emma asked.

"Definitely," Manny said.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Emma said.

"Okay, later."

"Later."

About fifteen minutes later, Emma and Manny were sitting face to face at the infamous Dot, the classic hangout and restaurant the Degrassi students went to. They were mostly quiet for a few minutes even after the waiter took their order. Finally, Manny decided to break the ice.

"I really am sorry, Emma," Manny said with sincerity.

"I forgive you," Emma said.

"I just couldn't face you after what I did," Manny sighed."I wished I would've apologized a lot sooner. I was such a coward."

"I understand," Emma said."Where have you been staying this whole time?"

"I found an apartment in the building my parents live in," Manny replied.

"Oh."

"I'm glad you forgave me," Manny said."But why did you?"

"Because you have been my best friend since kindergarten," Emma responded."I can't let this one mistake ruin that forever. However, it was a huge mistake and it really hurt me."

"I'm sorry, Emma," Manny said.

"I'll do my best to get past it," Emma assured her."Making up with you and Sean was step one. Step two is to deal."

"You and Sean are back together?" Manny asked.

"Yeah."

"That's great," Manny told her."I'm happy for you."

Behind Manny's smile, she was feeling a tinge of hurt and jealousy.

"Have you spoken to Jay recently?" Emma asked.

"No," Manny sighed."I don't think Jay would ever want to speak to me again. He's not as forgiving as you are."

"That's not true, Manny," Emma insisted."Jay loves you so much."

Manny started to cry as she spoke."I know he does, Emma. He was so good to me, but I was so unappreciative. He treated me like a queen. I just want him to know that I am sorry. I love him so much, Emma. What have I done?"

Emma took Manny's hand and squeezed it gently. Manny grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes.

"Sean misses him, too," Emma told her."I'm sure he'll come around."

"I hope so," Manny sobbed."Our tenth anniversary is next month and I don't want him to spend it hating me. I want him to spend with me."

Emma looked into Manny's tearful face. Even though Manny betrayed her by doing what she did and losing Jay was her fault, Emma still felt bad for her. She knew that Manny really loved Jay and cared for him. Manny wiped her tears and tried to smile.

"So, how is my goddaughter?" Manny asked.

"She's doing great," Emma replied."She just started grade one. She asks about you all the time."

"I miss her," Manny said."I have to make it up to her. I'm taking her shopping this weekend."

"Cool," Emma said.

"Tell her I said happy belated birthday," Manny told her.

"I will," Emma said."Happy belated birthday to you too, Manny."

"Thank you."

Coincidentally, Manny and Dakota shared a birthday. In August, Dakota turned six and Manny turned thirty. Emma turned thirty in June.

"I have something for you, Emma," Manny told her.

"What is it?" Emma asked.

Manny placed a white box on the table. When Emma opened it and saw what was inside, she gasped happily.

"Manny, it is so beautiful……and expensive looking," Emma commented in a surprised tone.

"Actually, it was an exclusive gift to me from Paige," Manny told her.

"As in Paige Michalchuk?" Emma asked.

Manny nodded.

"Wow," Emma said."This is really nice."

"I ran into her about two weeks ago," Manny said."She gave it to me as an exclusive; it's not even going to be released in stores for another month."

"Actually, I wouldn't feel right about taking this," Emma told her."It's your gift from Paige."

"No, Emma I insist," Manny told her.

"Okay."

A couple minutes later, the waiter arrived with their food. They ate and talked. When they were finished, Manny offered to pay the entire bill and leave the tip. After saying goodbye, they hugged and then parted ways. While Manny was driving back to work, the tears began to fall again. It burned her to know that Sean and Emma got back together. Although she and Sean had an argument the last time they talked, the love she had for him failed to go away. She caught herself crying again.

"Manny, stop it," Manny scolded herself."Sean is not your man. He belongs to Emma. Jay is your husband and you need to make things right with him. Just get over Sean. You don't love him anymore. Just keep telling yourself you don't love him anymore."

A few moments later, Manny parked in the parking lot of the design school. As she headed back in the building, she quietly and repeatedly told herself:

"You don't love him anymore. You don't love him anymore. You don't love him anymore."


	12. Hurts Like Hell

AUTHOR'S NOTE: JUST TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, EVERY NOW AND THEN I'M GOING TO BEGIN EVERY CHAPTER WITH A FEW VERY BRIEF LINE QUOTED FROM THE SONG THAT THE CHAPTER IS NAMED AFTER TO SHOW HOW IT RELATES TO THE PLOT OF THE CHAPTER. BEAR WITH ME AND MY LOVE FOR MUSIC.

{"I know if there is any chance for us to find our happiness, we've got to learn it to let it go. Forget all the pain we know. Sometimes it hurts to love so bad."} (Emma's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Aretha Franklyn*

Emma was happy that she and Manny patched things up. She drove back home and took the dogs for a walk. A little while later, Emma took the dogs back in the house and then headed to her car. She drove to Dakota's school to pick her up. Dakota hopped into the car with Emma. She and Dakota chatted while she drove.

"How was school sweetie?" Emma asked.

"It was good," Dakota said.

"Great," Emma said."Guess what?"

"What?"

"I saw Auntie Manny today," Emma reported.

"Cool!" Dakota exclaimed."I miss her."

"She misses you too," Emma told her."She's going to take you shopping this weekend."

"I can't wait," Dakota said, cheerily.

"Do you miss Uncle Jay?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Dakota replied.

"So, let's stop by his house to see him," Emma suggested.

"Okay," Dakota agreed.

Emma made a right and drove down Jay's block. A few seconds later, she pulled over and found a parking spot near his house. After locking the car door, Emma and Dakota walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, Jay answered the door. Emma couldn't help but to notice Jay's toned arms and chest in the wife-beater he was wearing.

Jay, I never noticed how hot you really were, Emma thought.

"Emma and Dakota," Jay said."It's good to see you guys."

Emma snapped out of her daydream and said hello.

"Hi, Uncle Jay," Dakota said.

"Hey, baby girl," Jay said.

Jay gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Happy belated birthday," he told her.

"Thank you," Dakota said.

Jay let Emma and Dakota into the house. Dakota took a seat on the loveseat while Emma took a seat on the bigger couch. Jay reached into his pocket and handed Dakota a hundred dollars.

"Thank you," Dakota beamed.

"You're welcome," Jay said.

Dakota put the money into her pocket.

"So, what brings you by?" Jay asked.

"I was just wondering if we can talk," Emma told him.

"Um…sure," Jay sighed.

"Gee, you don't sound very thrilled," Emma commented.

"You want to talk about Manny and Sean, right?" Jay asked.

Emma nodded.

"Well, I don't," Jay insisted.

"Dakota, sweetie, listen to your Ipod while Uncle Jay and I have grownup talk," Emma told her.

Dakota nodded. She put the earphones into her ears and turned up the volume.

"Jay, sit down please," Emma said.

Jay sighed and took a seat next to Emma.

"Listen, Dakota doesn't know about what happened or why Sean and I broke up," Emma told him."She's too young to understand."

"Okay," Jay said.

"Sean and I reconciled last night," Emma stated.

Jay shook his head in shame.

"More power to you," he commented.

"Why is it wrong that I love him enough to give him another chance?" Emma asked.

"It's not wrong," Jay insisted."But personally, I couldn't do it. Sean and Manny crossed the line. This is the worse betrayal I've ever experienced in my life."

"I agree," Emma sighed.

"Yeah and it's amazing that you can forgive Sean for that," Jay said.

"I forgave Manny, too," Emma told him.

"Wow," Jay huffed.

"Could you at least consider doing the same?" Emma asked.

"Hell no!" Jay exclaimed."They went too far."

"Manny loves you, Jay," Emma said."And I know you love her too."

"She betrayed me," Jay stated."I can't forgive her for that."

"What about Sean?" Emma asked.

"If I can't forgive Manny, I won't forgive Sean either," Jay insisted."I'm equally pissed at both of them. Sean was like a brother to me and Manny was my wife. I pledged my life to that woman almost ten years ago! How could they do this to me?"

"Jay, can you imagine how I felt?" Emma asked."I was just as heartbroken and angry and devastated as you are. Manny is like a sister to me just like Sean is like a brother to you—"

"Was," Jay corrected her.

"I've been in love with Sean since I was twelve years old," Emma told him."And like I said, Manny is like a sister to me. If I can forgive them so can you."

"You and I are two different people, Emma," Jay stated."Your tolerance for this type of shit is obviously way higher than mine."

"Jay, we're not perfect either," Emma insisted."I wanted to avoid bringing this up, but do you remember how hurt Sean was back in high school when he found out that you and I hooked up in the ravine? And what about Amy?"

"Amy was a cheap, insignificant slut," Jay responded, sharply."All Sean wanted from her was sex; he didn't love her."

"But he loved ME and you knew that," Emma said with emphasis.

"Yeah, but I still don't apologize for hooking up with you," Jay said."He was in Wasaga and you two were not together when it happened. Manny, on the other hand, is my wife and Sean still decided to screw her, knowing damn well that she came home to his best friend every night."

"You're absolutely right," Emma told him."But Jay, when are you going to stop justifying what we did in the ravine? Sean and I weren't together when it happened, but it was still wrong. You knew how Sean felt about me and I knew how important you were to Sean."

"Fair enough," Jay scoffed."But you and I hooked up before Manny and I got together. How do you justify HER actions in this case?"

"I'm not justifying anybody's actions," Emma insisted."I'm simply saying that nobody's perfect. Jay, you were not a perfect husband to Manny either."

"But I never cheated on her," Jay argued.

"No, but you've given her a lot of hell with your old criminal ways," Emma pointed out."You remember how rocky the first three or so years of your marriage were? Manny kept threatening to leave you if you kept getting in trouble with the law, but she never did. She kept bailing you out every time you got arrested and she stuck by your side those entire eighteen months you were in prison for grand theft auto. She endured quite a bit to keep her marriage together. It wasn't because she was obligated. It wasn't because her Catholic parents are against divorce. It was because she loved you. And she still does, Jay."

Jay stared down at his lap, trying to hold back tears. Emma placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm going to go home and let you think about this for a while," Emma continued."You don't have to make any quick decisions, but I hope you make the right one when you're ready. Sean and Manny really love you and they are sorry."

Emma stood up and motioned for Dakota to stand. Dakota stood up and removed her earphones.

"Sweetie, say goodbye to your godfather," Emma told her.

"Bye, Uncle Jay," Dakota said.

"Bye, baby girl," Jay said.

Dakota hugged him and thanked him again for the belated birthday money.

"Bye, Jay," Emma said.

"Bye."

After Emma and Dakota left, Jay lit up a cigarette and thought about what Emma said. Forgiveness is a courageous operation and Jay applauded Emma for her courage to forgive. Jay always acted tough but he cowered away from the thought of forgiving his wife and best friend. Emma was right; he wasn't perfect. There were many things he had done in the past that he regretted.

Jay inhaled deeply as he recalled some of the terrible things he did in the past such as convincing Sean to steal Emma's stepfather's laptop and convincing the late JT Yorke to steal drugs from his job to support a pregnant Liberty. His biggest regret was pulling a prank with Spinner Mason on the troubled student, Rick Murray, and then blaming the popular Jimmy Brooks for the crime. As a result, Rick shot Jimmy and paralyzed him. In an attempt to save Emma from being shot, Sean fought with Rick over the gun and accidently killed him in the process. Months later, Emma was still traumatized by the incident and Jay preyed on her vulnerability by convincing her to go down on him. He subsequently spread an STD to several girls including Emma, Amy and his girlfriend at the time, Alex. Emma and Amy both dated Sean. Emma was Alex's former enemy and Amy was Alex's best friend. Thinking about Alex's courage to forgive made him think. He and Alex are still good friends and if she can forgive him for his indiscretions, why can't he forgive Sean and Manny for theirs?

"I'm going to try," Jay cried to himself."I'm going to try."


	13. Soon As I Get Home

{"Making love all through the night, we can hold each other tight. I can take away the pain if you will only let me. Just forget about the past 'cause I want to make it last. Baby, I apologize because boy I really need you in my life."} (Manny's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Faith Evans*

Later that evening, Manny just got off of work. While she was driving home, she thought about Jay and wondered why he couldn't be as forgiving as Emma. Despite this wrongful love she had for Sean, she desperately to repair her relationship with Jay. She missed his smile, his voice, his kiss and his touch. A decade of marriage made Manny extremely accustomed to having a man keep her warm at night; therefore, those past five months of being alone made her feel cold and miserable. Manny pulled up in front of her apartment building, parked the car and headed inside.

At the auto-mechanic garage, Sean was sipping a can of coke and relaxing until a customer arrived. He had less than ten minutes before it was time for him to go home anyway. Finally, at six o clock, Sean clocked out and headed out of the garage. On his way to his car, he spotted Jay. Jay was walking in his direction. Being placed on separate shifts and all to avoid problems, Sean had absolutely no visual or physical contact with Jay whatsoever in five months. They haven't seen or spoken to each other since Jay confronted him about sleeping with Manny. Suddenly, there they stood, face to face again. Jay wasn't even supposed to start work for another two hours.

"Hey," Sean spoke first.

"Hey," Jay responded.

"How have you been?" Sean asked.

"I've been miserable ever since I found out about you and Manny," Jay admitted."But I realized that not having you two in my life is just making me even more miserable."

"It was a terrible thing to do," Sean sighed."I'm really sorry."

"I've done some terrible, fucked up things in the past, too," Jay stated."I've betrayed you in the past, so I guess this is karma."

"No Jay, I was just being a disloyal ass," Sean admitted, near tears."The things you've done to me in the past don't even bother me anymore. I've gotten over it a long time ago. You can add up all the fucked up things you've ever done to me and it still wouldn't be as bad as what I did. I knew how special Manny was to you and I….I'm really sorry."

Sean let a few tears slip and Jay started to a sob a little too. This was a very emotional moment for these two men.

"Well, at least you apologized for it," Jay insisted, tearfully."I was too stupid and arrogant to even apologize for the things I've done to you, but not anymore. If I never said it before, I'm saying it now. I'm sorry, Sean."

"I forgave you a long time ago," Sean told him."I just need you to forgive me now."

For an answer, Jay grabbed Sean and pulled him close. They hugged each other tightly.

"I love you, man," Jay said.

"I love you, too."

They let each other go.

"I'm happy to hear that you and Emma are back together," Jay told him."Now, I need to get my wife back."

"Thanks, but how did you know we got back together?" Sean asked.

"Emma told me," Jay replied."If it weren't for her I'd still be too miserable to forgive you."

"Really?" Sean asked.

"Yeah," Jay sighed."She came by my house earlier, we had a good talk and it really made me think. I used to think Emma was nothing but a nosy, judgmental prude but now I realize I was wrong. She's a great woman, Sean. You're lucky to have her."

"Yeah," Sean agreed."Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I hope everything works out with you and Manny," Sean said, sincerely.

"Yeah," Jay nodded.

After a few more subtle exchanging of words, they said goodbye as Sean took his car and drove home. Jay pulled out his cell phone and called Manny's cell phone. Although he only received her voicemail, hearing her voice for the first time in months warmed his heart. So he decided to leave a message.

"Baby, I love you and I need you right now, call me back when you get this message."

Meanwhile, Manny was pacing around her apartment thinking of what she would say to Jay. Coincidentally, she was thinking about making things right with him as well. She turned her cell phone off about an hour before Jay called, so she was unaware that he called. She was still dressed in the baby blue suit jacket and matching baby blue skirt she wore to work. It took her two hours of contemplation to finally work up the courage to just go for it. When she did, she grabbed her car keys and headed out the door.

Manny went down several flights of stairs and walked out of the building. It was around 8:30PM and it was dark outside. Manny made her way to her car and drove to the house she once shared with Jay. His car was in the driveway, confirming that he was home. Manny's heart began to beat as she nervously stepped out of her car and walked up to the front door. She didn't want to risk getting hung up on, so she decided not to call. Besides, she believed that a real woman would confront her problems face to face. Manny reached out and rang the doorbell. Manny never knew that Jay was no longer working the day shift with Sean at the garage. He had left work shortly after arriving for his graveyard shift. Manny has been so heavy on his mind that it would've disrupted his work, so he came home.

When Jay opened the door a few seconds later, no words were exchanged and no questions were asked. He just simply pulled Manny into the house and locked his lips against hers. They kissed each other with such yearning and passion. Without a second thought, Jay carried her upstairs to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. After removing their clothes, Manny reached out for Jay and welcomed him back inside of her love after what has seemed like forever. Tears, moans and soft laughter filled the room musically as they made love.

When they were finished, they laid side by side, stroking each other's hair and looking into each other's eyes.

"Baby, I'm so glad to be here with you again," Manny told him."I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," Jay said.

"I'm so sorry," Manny said.

"It's alright," Jay said."I love you, baby."

"I love you, too," Manny told him."I feel awful for hurting you, Jay. No one ever loved me more than you."

"And I've never loved anyone the way I love you," Jay admitted.

They kissed each other softly.

"I'm glad we have each other back," Jay stated."And I'm glad we got our best friends back too."

"Wow, when did you and Sean make up?" Manny questioned.

"A few hours ago."

"That's great," Manny told him.

"Can I ask you a question?" Jay asked.

"Yes, honey?" Manny said.

"Did you love Sean?" Jay asked.

Manny was quiet; she didn't want to respond.

"Baby, I won't get mad," Jay insisted."It was in the past; just tell me."

"Yes," Manny admitted."I didn't plan on it, but my feelings got the best of me."

Suddenly, Jay became quiet and it began to concern Manny a little.

"Baby, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Jay sighed."I was just……thinking."

"About what?" Manny asked.

Jay smiled and pulled Manny closer to him."Let's start a new life. Do something different."

"Okay," Manny said."What do you have in mind?"

"We can sell the house and start a family," Jay suggested."Let's move to New York City."

"New York City?!" Manny exclaimed, surprised.

"Yeah," Jay said."You love New York City; this will be a great experience. What do you say?"

After some careful thought, Manny said yes. They kissed each other and then embraced tightly.


	14. Next Lifetime

{What am I supposed to do when I want you in my world? How can I want you for myself when I'm already someone's girl? I guess I'll see you next lifetime."} (Manny's thoughts to Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by Erykah Badu*

After five long months, Manny and Jay reconciled just like Sean and Emma did. At around six o clock in the morning, Manny woke up and headed to the bathroom. She took a shower and then rubbed lotion over her body. She wrapped a towel around her and walked back to the bedroom. She picked out an outfit to wear for work. Jay woke up while she was getting dressed.

"Good morning, baby," Jay said.

"Good morning," Manny said."Shouldn't you be getting ready for work too?"

"I don't work during the day anymore," Jay told her.

"Why not?"

"Well, when I was mad at Sean, I requested that we be on separate shifts," Jay replied.

"So, now that you guys are cool again, are you going to switch back?" Manny asked.

"Nah, I actually like the night shift," Jay said.

"Oh okay, honey," Manny said.

"Besides, we'll be moving soon anyway," Jay told her.

"How soon exactly?" Manny asked.

"A little after our anniversary," Jay responded.

"That's next month," Manny stated.

"Is that too soon?" Jay asked.

"Um, not really," Manny said.

"Okay," Jay said."Have a good day at work, baby."

"Okay."

After Manny finished getting dressed, Manny walked over to the bed and gave Jay a kiss.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too, baby," Jay said.

After saying goodbye, Manny left out to go to work. While she was driving, she considered the pros and cons of moving to New York City. Besides Paris, New York City was the place to be for a die-hard fashion lover. Manny looked forward to adding more clothing to her wardrobe from various fashion stores. New York City had some things that Toronto couldn't dream of having and she was looking forward to getting her hands on them. Manny would be able to continue her career at the Art Institute of New York City.

The bad part about moving to New York would be living miles away from her loved ones. Manny sighed as she wondered why Jay would make such a spontaneous suggestion. Did part of him still not trust her? Did he think that she would begin another affair with Sean? Manny decided that it didn't matter what Jay's reason was. He was her husband and she wanted to do anything she could to protect their marriage. She reasoned that she might get over Sean if she didn't have to see him on a regular basis. But what about Emma? She and Emma had been best friends from ages five to thirty, nearly their entire lives. They never spent so much time apart; they even went to college together.

I guess it's for the best, Manny thought.

Back at the house, Jay ate some breakfast and watched TV for a little while. At around two o clock in the afternoon, Jay called Sean's cell, even though he knew he was at work.

"Hello?" Sean answered.

"Hey dude," Jay said."When are you taking your break?"

"Actually, I'm on my break right now," Sean replied."I'm about to go grab some lunch at the Dot."

"Cool, perfect timing, huh?" Jay commented.

"Yeah," Sean agreed.

"Manny and I made up last night," Jay reported.

"That's great, man," Sean said.

"Yeah, I'm really happy," Jay said.

"You're tenth anniversary is coming up," Sean said."Got anything planned?"

"I'm not sure yet," Jay replied."But we're moving to New York City around that time."

"Wow," Sean gasped.

"I just think it's a great idea," Jay told him."Manny would love it."

"You guys decided this last night?" Sean asked.

"Yeah," Jay replied.

"Well, Emma, Dakota and I are going to miss you," Sean stated."But if this is what you want to do then go for it."

"Thanks," Jay said.

They talked for a few more minutes and then hung up.

Over the next month, Manny and Jay started making preparations for their big move. It didn't take them very long after they put up their house for sale to find another married couple interested in buying it. Finally, in the middle of October, their tenth anniversary arrived. Emma and Sean threw a big anniversary/going away party for them. The party was held at Emma and Sean's house on a Saturday night. The guests were Liberty, Toby, Alex, Towerz, Archie, Christine, Manny's parents, some of Manny's colleagues, some of Manny's students and several guys from the auto-mechanic garage. Everyone talked, ate, laughed and had a few drinks. This was a semi-glamorous occasion, so everyone there was dressed semi-elegantly.

Manny was chatting with Liberty.

"Emma's dress is so nice," Liberty said."Isn't it?"

"I know; I gave it to her," Manny told her.

"Really?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," Manny said."I actually got it from Paige Michalchuk. She gave it to me as an exclusive before it even hit the stores. It's her design."

"Wow," Liberty said."When did you see Paige?"

"Over the summer," Manny replied.

"And she was actually nice enough to give you that dress?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," Manny said."Paige and I aren't enemies anymore; that was so high school."

"Well, even though you and Paige weren't exactly the best of friends in high school, I'm pretty sure there was some deep admiration between you two," Liberty stated."Particularly when it comes to fashion."

Manny nodded in agreement.

Sean was sitting on the sofa talking to Towerz and Alex. Emma came over to and tapped him.

"Sorry to interrupt, honey," Emma said."But I'm ready to give my speech now."

"Okay, baby," Sean said.

Sean got off of the sofa and stood up next Emma. They turned the music off to grab the guests' attention.

"Sorry, guys," Emma told the guests."I just want to say something really quickly and then we can go back to partying; I promise."

The guests politely focused their attention on Emma.

"Ten years ago today, two people made the ultimate commitment to validate their love for each other," Emma spoke."Those people were Jay Hogart and Manny Santos. They have been held dearest to my heart and Sean's heart for many years and now that they're moving…….I'm really going to miss them."

Tears formed in Emma's eyes as she continued."We all have been through a lot together. We have so many precious memories to cherish and even some not-so precious memories we try to forget. However, we're all still here and we all still care."

Emma took Sean's hand and smiled in Manny and Jay's direction.

"Manny and Jay, happy anniversary," Emma told them."Sean and I wish you the best of luck and we love you very much."

"We love you too, Emma!" Manny cheered, tearfully.

After a brief round of applause, the guests partied for a couple more hours. At around midnight, the party came to end. Manny and Jay exchanged hugs, kisses and/or handshakes with the guests as they made their way out the door. After the guests were gone, Emma put Dakota to bed and then she, Sean, Jay and Manny cleaned up. When they were finished they all went to bed.

Jay and Manny were lying down in the guest room. Although Jay was sound asleep, Manny kept tossing and turning. She tried every trick in the book to fall asleep, including counting sheep, but it was useless. Sighing, Manny got out of bed and walked downstairs in her nightgown. The hallway downstairs was dark as she searched for a light switch. When she found one, she reached out her hand to flick it on. Suddenly, something furry ran over her feet.

"Aah!" Manny shrieked, startled.

Manny turned on the light and realized that it was just one of the dogs.

"What's going on?" a voice asked.

Manny turned around and saw Sean standing in the hallway.

"Oh nothing," Manny replied."The dog just scared me; I thought it was a rat or something."

"Oh," Sean said.

Sean headed back into the living room and took a seat on the couch, watching TV. Manny entered the living room.

"What are you doing up?" she asked.

"What are YOU doing up?" Sean asked.

"I couldn't sleep," Manny told him.

"Neither could I," Sean sighed.

"Yeah, well tomorrow's my big day, so I better try and get some sleep," Manny said.

"Okay."

"Goodnight," Manny said.

She turned around and started to walk away.

"Manny, can I talk to you for a sec?" Sean asked.

"Um, sure," Manny said, turning back around.

Sean turned the TV off as Manny walked over and sat down next to him on the sofa.

"Manny, I owe you an apology," Sean told her."I didn't mean to treat you the way I did."

"It's okay," Manny said.

"I never should've disrespected you the way I did when Emma kicked me out after she found out about us," Sean said.

Manny nodded.

"I just want you to know that the only reason I did that was because……you told me you loved me," Sean stated.

"I know," Manny sighed."I'm sorry, Sean; I never should've said that."

"Maybe not," Sean said."But that was really brave on your part, unlike me. I was too ashamed and too scared to admit that I…."

Sean paused for a minute; he couldn't bring himself to continue.

"What is it, Sean?" Manny asked, wanting him to finish his statement.

"I was too scared to admit that I….I developed feelings for you too," Sean admitted.

Sean couldn't bear to tell Manny he loved her too, but Manny was relieved to know that he saw her as more than just a "piece of ass". They stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Their faces moved closer together until their lips were less than an inch away from touching. Suddenly, they backed away when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Startled and embarrassed, Manny stood up and headed into the kitchen. Sean turned the TV back on just as Emma came into the living room.

"Hey, baby," she said."Couldn't sleep?"

"No," Sean replied."How about you?"

"Me neither," Emma told him.

Emma took a seat next to Sean and rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her as they looked at the TV. A little while later, Manny reentered the living room, carrying a glass of milk and some chocolate chip cookies.

"Manny, you couldn't sleep either?" Emma asked.

"No," Manny replied.

Manny sat down next to Emma and ate her cookies. When she was finished, she said goodnight, cleaned her dishes and headed back upstairs. She entered the guest room and climbed back into the bed with Jay. He turned over and looked at her.

"Baby, where were you?" Jay asked.

"I had to use the bathroom," Manny lied.

"It's three in the morning," Jay said."We have to get some sleep; I want to be on the road by ten."

"Okay, baby," Manny said.

"Well, if we're going to be tired in the morning, we better have a good reason to be," Jay told her.

"What do you mean?" Manny asked.

Jay gave her a devilish, seductive smile and Manny caught his drift. He moved closer to her and they started kissing each other.

When Emma and Sean finally felt tired again, they turned off the TV, headed out of the living room and made their way upstairs. On the way to their bedroom, they heard moaning and the sound of the bed shaking from the guest room.

"Are they doing it?" Emma whispered.

"I hope not," Sean whispered back.

"Why?" Emma asked."They're married; they can do that."

"Yeah, but I'm going to be really pissed if they wake up Dakota," Sean said.

"Sean, don't be ridiculous," Emma scolded."When you and I do it, I'm just as loud as Manny is."

"Alright fine, whatever," Sean muttered.

"Dakota is a heavy sleeper and you know that," Emma told him."She's not going to hear anything. Now come on, let's go to bed."

Emma walked towards their bedroom. Sean glanced at the guest room door and shook his head in annoyance. He followed Emma into the bedroom and went to sleep. Why did it bother Sean so much to hear Manny and Jay making love?


	15. Over And Over

{It's all in my head, I think about it over and over again. I can't keep picturing you with him. And it hurts so bad.} (Jay's thoughts to Manny).

*This chapter is named after a song by Nelly and Tim McGraw*

At around eight o clock in the morning, Emma was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Manny woke up a few minutes later. As she headed to the bathroom to wash up, she thought about last night. Why did she allow herself to get caught up in the moment and nearly kiss Sean in the process? While their spouses were upstairs asleep! Trying not to stress about it, Manny convinced herself that "nearly" doesn't count. She joined Emma downstairs and helped her finish cooking breakfast.

By the time it was ready, Sean, Jay and Dakota came downstairs. They gathered around the table, joined hands in a brief prayer and proceeded to eat. By 9:00AM, they finished eating and washed their dishes. After Manny and Jay got dressed, Sean and Emma helped them load their luggage into their cars. The four of them, along with Dakota, stood outside and looked at each other with a heart full of emotion. Dark clouds covered the sky; the weather forecaster reported an approaching thunderstorm.

"Have a good trip, guys," Sean told them.

"We will," Jay said.

"Call us when you get there," Emma said.

"We will."

"Bye Auntie Manny and Uncle Jay," Dakota said, sadly.

"Bye sweetie," Manny said.

"Be a good girl," Jay added.

Dakota gave her godparents a hug and a kiss. Emma and Manny tearfully embraced each other as if it was the last time they were ever going to see each other. Next, Emma and Jay hugged each other. However, when it was time for Sean and Manny to hug, everyone felt slightly awkward.

"Go ahead and hug," Emma urged them, trying not to feel uncomfortable.

Sean and Manny hugged each other, being caring not to hold each other too closely. After saying goodbye, Manny and Jay got in their cars and drove away. Suddenly, lightning flared across the sky and a heavy downpour of rain quickly followed.

"Whoa!" Emma exclaimed."Come on, sweetie, let's get inside."

Emma took Dakota's hand and they ran back into the house. Sean stood there for a few seconds, ignoring the rain. Various thoughts ran through his mind. What would've happened if Jay and Emma never found out about the affair? Would he and Manny still be involved with each other?

"It doesn't matter anymore," Sean sighed.

He turned around and headed into the house.

Over the next four years, from the year 2019 to 2023, a lot has happened. Manny and Jay found a fairly expensive apartment in New York City. Manny became a professor at the Art Institute of New York City and Jay found a job as a mechanic in an auto-repair shop in Brooklyn. They only visited Toronto five times during those four years. Manny and Jay tried several times to have a baby. Manny had gotten pregnant twice, but she miscarried each time. Adding to the problems, Jay and Manny argued with each other quite often, mostly because Jay would sometimes get into his moods where he would have trouble forgiving Manny for what she did with Sean. He thought he let it go, but it still haunted him. Manny felt bad that Jay felt the way he did, so she would suggest they go to marriage counseling.

"No shrink is going to fix our problems," Jay would always say.

Sean and Emma, on the other hand, were getting along better than ever. They went to marriage counseling for a while and it helped them strengthen their bond. Sean would often think about the time Jay told him that Emma was a great woman and he was lucky to have her. Sean knew he was lucky and he was truly grateful for what he had. Dakota was growing into a beautiful, intelligent young lady. It was August and her tenth birthday was nearing. As Emma realized that her daughter was getting older, her parenting style grew firmer. Sean, however, continued to spoil and dote on her. Although Dakota loved her mother, she was clearly closer to her father.

One afternoon, Manny and Emma were chatting on the phone.

"So, are you and Jay still having problems?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Manny sighed.

"I'm really sorry to hear that," Emma told her.

"I don't know what to do to please that man," Manny vented."He refuses to go to marriage counseling with me because of his prejudice against therapists. I try to remind him how much it really helped you and Sean, but he just can't be moved. That's why he's been so troubled his entire life; he never stepped foot in a therapists office."

"That's too bad," Emma commented."It can really help him and your marriage."

"Emma, if I ask you a question, will you give me an honest answer?" Manny asked.

"Don't I always?" Emma insisted.

"Do you ever think about…..you know…and get upset with Sean?" Manny asked her.

Emma sighed and said."I still think about it occasionally. It makes me angry sometimes; it makes me want to cry sometimes. But I only think about it when I'm alone and I never take it out on Sean. He made a mistake, he apologized, he promised me he'll never hurt me again and I promised him that I would let go of the past."

"I wish Jay thought like you," Manny said, softly.

"I hope he does," Emma agreed.

"Did I tell that I took out a bank loan to buy a house?" Manny asked.

"No," Emma replied."Where are you buying one at?"

"In Toronto," Manny told her."I plan on coming back home."

"That's great," Emma said."What made you decide that?"

"This New York City scene was amazing for a while, but this isn't where my heart is anymore," Manny replied.

"Home is where the heart is," Emma said.

"Most definitely," Manny said."I decided this weeks ago but I still haven't told Jay yet."

"You're going to have to," Emma told her.

"I know," Manny sighed.

They talked for a few more minutes until Emma had to end her lunch break and get back to work. Later that night, Manny invited ten of her colleagues from the Art Institute of New York City over for a big dinner. She planned on moving back to Toronto soon. She cooked some fried chicken, rice, baked potatoes, corn, spinach, ham and a chocolate cake. Everyone was particularly impressed with her piquant chicken stew, courtesy of her Filipina heritage. Manny was wearing a tight fitting, blue dress and a pearl necklace.

"I would like to thank everyone for coming," Manny spoke."It has been a pleasure working with you all and—"

Manny stopped when Jay entered the dining room. He just got home from work.

"Hi, honey," Manny greeted him."Why don't you grab a seat; dinner's ready."

"You didn't tell me you were having a party," Jay stated, sternly.

"Okay everyone, I'd like you to meet my husband, Jay," Manny introduced them.

Jay gave a slight nod as her colleagues politely greeted him.

"Manny, what are all these people doing in my house?" Jay demanded.

"I just prepared a little feast to show them my appreciation for all they've done for me since we moved here," Manny told him.

"Are you quitting or something?" Jay asked.

"Yeah well, we're moving back to Toronto," Manny replied.

"What?!" Jay exclaimed."You just make some big, random decision like that before consulting me first?"

"Excuse me, everyone," Manny said to her guests.

Manny stepped out of the dining room and Jay followed after her.

"Jay, what the hell is wrong with you?" Manny snapped."These are my guests."

"No, what the hell is wrong with you?" Jay snapped back."How are you going to make a decision like that without consulting me first!"

"Jay, we'll talk about this later," Manny said.

"Whatever," Jay scoffed.

"Let's just sit down and eat," Manny told him.

"I already ate," Jay muttered.

Manny glared at Jay as he made his way towards the bedroom. When he was out of sight, she went back into the dining room, apologized for the incident and joined her guests at the table. Once they were finished eating, Manny hugged and thanked everyone as they exited. After they were gone, Manny cleaned up the dining room and kitchen. After that, she stormed into the bedroom, placed her hands on her hips and stared coldly at Jay. He was sitting on the bed, pretending not to notice her as he stared at the TV.

"So, you're just going to ignore me?" Manny asked, sharply.

"What do you want?" Jay snapped, turning the TV off.

"How could you humiliate me like that in front of my guests?!" Manny yelled.

"Why don't you tell me what your plans are first before you make them?" Jay barked."When the hell did you decide to move back to Toronto?"

"About three weeks ago," Manny retorted."I didn't tell you because you probably would've said something stupid like "Is Sean the reason you're moving back"."

"Well, is he?" Jay demanded.

"No!" Manny shouted."Jay, you are so goddamn unbelievable! Even if Sean was the reason, it would be pointless considering that he's still with Emma and she's still the one he wants to be with."

"Is that so?" Jay smirked.

"Yeah," Manny snapped."Emma and Sean are happy together and their marriage is working out just fine, which is more than I can say for you and me."

"So, you want a divorce?" Jay asked.

"I never said that!" Manny exclaimed.

"Actions speak louder than words," Jay insisted.

"Jay, just shut up!" Manny growled.

"You know what?" Jay stated."I had a long day, I'm tired and I have a headache. I'm going to sleep on the couch tonight because if you keep pissing me off with your yelling, I'm going to put my foot in your ass!"

This was not the first time Jay threatened Manny, so she was not fazed by it.

"Fine, walk away," Manny told him."That's what you're good at."

Jay grabbed a pillow and a sheet from off the bed. He slammed the door behind as he left. Manny walked towards the mirror, removed her makeup and took off her dress, jewelry and shoes. She put on a nightshirt, sat down at her computer desk, buried her face into her hands and cried.


	16. You Used To Love Me

{"You didn't hear me calling out, calling for your warm affection after all this time. You can't deny what I'm feeling is real. And I stood right by your side, went through all the hurt and pain and you turned and walked away."} (Manny's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Faith Evans*

The next morning Jay and Manny both left for work without kissing or even saying goodbye. Manny tried to understand Jay's pain, but she felt that she was working too hard to keep their marriage intact but Jay refused to acknowledge her efforts. Manny enjoyed her last day at the Art Institute of New York City. It was hard to say goodbye to all of her colleagues, but she realized that saying goodbye to her friends and family back in Toronto was much harder. Manny arrived home at nearly five o clock in the afternoon. As soon as she got home she changed out of her work clothes, showered and put on a T-shirt and pajama bottoms.

There were still some leftovers from the dinner party, but it was only enough for one person. Manny heated up a plate and started eating. Jay arrived home soon after and he made his way into the dining room where Manny was sitting and eating.

"Did you cook?" Jay asked.

"Nope," Manny replied, not looking at him.

"Why not?" Jay demanded.

"After last night, do you really expect me to cook for you?!" Manny exclaimed.

"We argue all the time," Jay insisted."That never stopped you from cooking for me before."

"I'm not talking about the argument," Manny told him."I'm talking about how I slaved over a hot stove for me, you and a bunch of people from work, then you come home and tell me that you already ate. How rude!"

"Whatever," Jay muttered."I can always get pizza or Chinese food."

"Yeah whatever," Manny scoffed.

Jay turned around and started to walk away.

"Jay, I have one more thing to say to you," Manny told him.

Jay turned around to listen.

"By the end of this month, I'm getting the hell out of here," Manny declared."If you want to come to Toronto with me, I advise you to leave your attitude behind."

"Do what you want, Manny," Jay snapped.

"Jay, what happened to us?" Manny asked, tearfully."We used to be so happy. You used to love me."

"I still do love you," Jay insisted."And you're right, we used to be happy and then you ruined it."

"Jay, I am doing everything in my power to go back to the happy marriage we had before," Manny sobbed."But it's never going to happen if you keep dwelling in the past. I don't know how much more of it I can take."

"So leave," Jay barked."Go back to Toronto. Hell, go to China for all I care. If you can't be realistic and understand that it takes time for a man to get over the fact that his wife fucked his best friend, then leaving is exactly what you need to do."

Manny didn't know what else to say. Jay turned around and walked away. For the next week or so, Manny and Jay barely spoke to each other. Jay felt that he took a big step by taking Manny back and being friends with Sean again, but he wished Manny would understand that it didn't automatically erase the pain he had. Jay wasn't like Emma. He was a really sensitive man under that tough exterior. He never knew how to deal with pain very well, especially the pain of betrayal.

One Saturday morning, the phone rang and woke Manny up. She answered it.

"Hello?"

"Happy birthday, Auntie Manny," Dakota said, cheerfully.

"Happy birthday to you too, sweetie," Manny said.

"It still amazes me that we have the same birthday," Dakota commented.

"I know," Manny agreed."Ten years ago when my best friend gave birth to you on my twenty-fourth birthday, I was extremely amazed."

"Wow, you're old," Dakota joked.

"Excuse me?" Manny exclaimed, laughing."I am thirty-four years young and I am still beautiful."

"I know, I was just kidding," Dakota told her."Is Uncle Jay there?"

"Um, I think he left for work already," Manny replied.

"Oh."

"Is your mom there?" Manny asked.

"Yeah, hold on," Dakota told her.

Dakota called for her mother. A few seconds later, Emma answered the phone.

"Happy birthday, Manny," Emma said.

"Thanks, Emma," Manny said.

"I hope that husband of yours is decent enough to acknowledge your birthday," Emma stated.

"Tell me about it," Manny sighed."I am so fed up with this crap, Emma."

"I still can't believe he acted the way he did in front of your party guests last weekend," Emma commented.

"Ugh," Manny grunted."Don't remind me."

"Well, don't let anything get you down on your birthday," Emma said, encouragingly.

"I'm quite alright, actually," Manny insisted."I love Jay but I guess I'm going to have to leave him behind when I come back to Toronto."

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and Jay walked in carrying a breakfast and a big smile on his face. Manny was surprised.

"Aaaaw," Manny said."Baby, you haven't made me breakfast in bed in ages."

Emma overheard her and she said."Wow. I bet you're happy now."

"Totally," Manny said."Emma, I'll call you back."

Manny hung up with Emma and smiled at Jay.

"Happy birthday, baby," Jay said.

"Thank you."

Jay carefully rested the tray on her lap and placed her coffee on the night table. He kissed her softly on the lips.

"Baby, I apologize," Jay told her."I can't keep expecting you to change the past; it's impossible. It's time to move on. I love you."

"I love you, too," Manny said.

They kissed again.

"Enjoy your breakfast," Jay told her."I have to get to work now."

"Okay," Manny said."By the way, Dakota called and she asked for you. Don't forget to call her and say happy birthday."

"I won't," Jay responded."See you later, baby."

"Later."

Jay headed out the door. Manny smiled as she ate her breakfast. It was delicious; Jay put his soul into the meal.

By the time September arrived, Manny and Jay were settled into their new house in Toronto that Manny purchased with the bank loan. It was a comfortable, two-story home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a spacious front yard and backyard. The auto-repair garage welcomed Jay back and the design school welcomed Manny back. Emma and Sean threw them a nice housewarming/welcome back party. The guests arrived with their housewarming gifts. The party had plenty of food and music.

The guests all mingled with each other and laughed together. However, there were two people in particular that were having an exceptionally good time—Emma and Jay. They were sitting in the backyard, laughing and chatting with each other. Emma and Jay knew each other for twenty years but they never realized how much they had in common.

"Wow Jay, I never knew you loved animals so much," Emma said."You barely like humans."

"I've always wanted a pet but Manny is too much of a neat freak," Jay told her.

"That's strange," Emma commented."She never had a problem with any pet I had whenever she visited my house."

"I guess having to live with one is a different story," Jay insisted.

"Yeah," Emma nodded.

"Emma, can I share my deepest, darkest secret with you?" Jay asked.

"What is it?" Emma stated.

"I happen to be a really big fan of musicals and plays," Jay confessed.

"That's your deepest, darkest secret," Emma frowned."That's no huge deal."

"It may not seem like a huge deal to you, but it is to me," Jay insisted.

"Have told Manny?" Emma asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Emma asked."Manny is a huge fan of acting; you could have told her."

"I haven't told anybody except you," Jay stated."I definitely never wanted to tell Manny because if she knew that I liked that kind of stuff it would've totally tainted her image of me."

"And what image of you do you think Manny has?" Emma questioned.

"Okay, when she and I first got together, she dubbed me the "superior bad ass"," Jay told her."Manny always had a thing for bad boys. Spinner was a bad boy and Craig was a bad boy in his own unique way. But she thought I was the baddest of them all and I wore it as a badge of honor."

"Well, maybe you should stop being what others expect of you and just start being yourself," Emma suggested.

Jay nodded in agreement as they continued to talk. Inside the house, Manny and Liberty were chatting with each other, while sipping Champaign.

"Liberty, I'll be right back," Manny told her."I have to pee."

"Yeah, so do I, actually," Liberty said."There are two bathrooms in this house, right?"

"Yeah, I'll take the one upstairs," Manny insisted.

Manny and Liberty set their Champaign glasses down and parted ways. Liberty went to the bathroom near the kitchen, while Manny made her way upstairs. When Manny got upstairs, she realized that the bathroom door was closed and someone was in it.

"Damn it!" Manny hissed.

Manny impatiently waited for whoever was in it to finish. Finally, the door opened and Sean stepped out of the bathroom.

"Hey Manny," he said.

"Hey," Manny said.

Manny attempted to walk past Sean but he stopped her.

"Manny, it's been four years," Sean stated."How long are we going to keep feeling awkward around each other?"

"I don't know," Manny told him.

"Well, it doesn't have to be that way," Sean insisted."I'd really like for us to be friends. If we keep acting awkward around each other, the past will just keep eating away at us."

"You're right," Manny sighed.

"Manny, aren't you sick of feeling guilty?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, I actually am," Manny replied.

"Cool," Sean said."Friends?"

Sean extended his hand.

"Friends," Manny agreed, shaking his hand.

As Sean headed back downstairs, Manny went into the bathroom. When she was finished, she returned to the party. People partied for a while longer before Manny decided to end it. By ten o clock, the guests were gone. However, Sean and Dakota were still there.

"Dakota, where's your mom?" Sean asked.

"I don't know," Dakota replied.

"Manny, have you seen Emma?" Sean asked.

"No," Manny said.

Manny, Sean and Dakota looked around for Emma, but they didn't see her. Next, the three of them headed out into the backyard. Jay and Emma were still out there talking to each other. They didn't even realize that the other guests had left already.

"Emma, are you ready to go?" Sean asked.

"Oh damn, I didn't realize the party was over," Emma said.

"You had a good time?" Manny asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied.

"Well, thanks again for giving us this party," Manny told her.

"You're welcome," Emma said.

After saying goodnight, Emma, Sean and Dakota went home. Later that night, Jay and Manny were in bed. Manny was fast asleep, but Jay kept his eyes open, thinking about his long conversation with Emma. There used to be a time where he and Emma couldn't stand each other.

It's amazing how things change, Jay thought.


	17. Anytime You Need A Friend

*This chapter is named after a song by Mariah Carey*

On Monday morning, Manny headed out the door for work. Being that they were back in Toronto, Jay only worked the nightshift. At around 10:00AM, the phone rang. Jay answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jay, it's Emma," Emma said."I'm sorry for waking you up."

"It's okay," Jay yawned."What's up?"

"I have a flat tire," Emma replied."I never learned how to change one."

"Damn," Jay said.

"Jay, can you please help me?" Emma asked."I owe you big time."

"Sure," Jay said."Where are you?"

"Near the dentist's office by the high school," Emma said."I just had an appointment. I would've called Sean but he's at work."

"It's cool," Jay insisted."I'm on my way."

After hanging up with Emma, Jay got dressed and headed out the door. It took him less than fifteen minutes to arrive in front of the dentists' office. Emma was leaning against her car wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and a short yet loose-fitting red skirt. Jay couldn't help but notice her long, shapely legs. Snapping back to reality, Jay greeted Emma.

"Thank you so much," Emma told him.

"Do you have a spare?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied.

Emma opened her trunk and Jay took out the spare tire and the tools he needed to change the flat tire.

"Emma, do you want to learn something new?" Jay asked.

"What?" Emma asked him."You're going to teach me how to change a flat?"

"Precisely," Jay told her.

"Okay, this should be interesting," Emma commented.

Emma paid close attention to every step as Jay instructed her on changing a tire. He even let her do half of the work. It didn't take them long to finish.

"Wow, I had no idea changing a flat tire was so easy," Emma stated.

"You never asked Sean to help you?" Jay asked.

"No, he never offered to," Emma responded."Whenever I got a flat tire, he always handled it for me. It just seemed too complicated, but now I see that it really isn't."

"That's what I've been trying to tell Manny, but she acts like she's too scared to get her hands dirty," Jay stated.

"Hmm," Emma murmured.

"You're the mechanic; that's your job," Jay imitated Manny's voice.

Emma laughed at Jay's impression of Manny.

"That was pretty good," Emma commented, still laughing.

"Thanks."

"Jay, did you eat breakfast yet?" Emma asked.

"No."

"Want to go grab a bite with me?" Emma asked.

"Sure," Jay grinned.

They went to a nice, nearby restaurant and ordered breakfast. They talked as they ate their meal.

"This food is really good," Jay commented."Is this place new? I don't think it was here before Manny and I moved to New York."

"It is new," Emma told him."It was built last year."

"Oh."

"Jay, if I asked you something, do you promise not to get mad?" Emma stated.

"What?" Jay asked.

"Why did you and Manny move to New York in the first place?" Emma asked."Was it because of Sean?"

"I hate to admit it, but yes," Jay said, honestly."The four years we had been living there were really rocky. You know she had two miscarriages, right?"

"Yeah, she told me," Emma said, with empathy.

"And I still had a hard time getting over what she did with Sean," Jay continued."I'm trying to let it go though."

"I know it's hard," Emma said."But thinking about it only makes it hurt more."

"Yeah, you're right about that," Jay agreed.

"Do you want to know what makes it so easy for me to let it go?" Emma asked.

"Sure."

"The more I look at Sean, the harder it is for me to convince myself that I don't need him," Emma told him."I just love him so much. Those five months he and I were separated were the most miserable five months of my life. At one point, I had registered for one of those online dating sites and I met this guy named Kevin. He was a total catch. Tall, dark, handsome, educated, well-paying job, no kids and never been married. We went out on a few dates and he treated me so nicely. However, I had to let him go because…….I wasn't over Sean."

"Wow," Jay murmured.

"As painful as it was to find out that he was cheating on me with my best friend, I still couldn't imagine myself with anyone else," Emma admitted."Sean is the only man I ever loved. When I dated Chris, Peter and Damien back in high school, I really liked them, but I didn't love them. At least not the way I love Sean."

"Manny has a similar affect on me," Jay told her."I practically worshipped that woman. Did you know that she's only woman I never cheated on?"

"I didn't know that, but it's not surprising," Emma responded."No offense."

"None taken," Jay insisted."I was a big player and a nympho man back in the day."

Emma chuckled."Yeah, you definitely were."

They ate their food in silence for about a minute or so.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you something," Emma said.

"What?"

"Two weeks ago, one of my colleagues gave me two extra tickets to this play called "Love Saw It"," Emma told him."I know Sean would rather die than to sit at some play. I wanted to ask Manny to go with me but I decided to ask you instead since you like plays. Do you want to go with me?"

"I'd like to," Jay replied."When is it?"

"Next month," Emma said.

"Well, it depends," Jay told her."It isn't on me and Manny's anniversary; is it?"

"No, it's after," Emma said.

"Okay, I can definitely go," Jay assured her.

They chatted for a little while longer until they finished their meal. When the waitress gave them their check, Emma took out her credit card to pay the bill.

"No, I got it," Jay insisted.

"Jay, I woke you up out of your sleep to help me change a flat, the least I can do is pay for the meal," Emma told him.

"Don't worry about it," Jay said, with a smile."It's my pleasure."

Emma smiled and said."Okay."

Jay removed cash from his wallet and paid the bill. He included a ten dollar tip. After leaving the restaurant, they headed out to the parking lot for their cars.

"Jay, thanks for helping me and teaching me how to change a flat," Emma said."Next time I have one, I won't have to call you."

"You can still call me," Jay insisted."If I'm not busy."

"You're really sweet," Emma told him.

"I try," Jay blushed.

"You've really got me interested in cars all of a sudden," Emma said."Do you mind if I stop by the garage sometime to see how you work your mechanic magic?"

"Sure," Jay said.

"Jay, we're officially best friends now," Emma declared.

"Okay, I agree," Jay said.

"After Manny and Sean of course," Emma added.

They smiled at each other for a moment and then said goodbye. There was no doubt that a connection was heating up between Emma and Jay, but they insisted that they were just friends. What's the harm in that?


	18. Tighten It Up

{For some reason you take your life for granted, like it's a game and you'll always win. The things you say and the things you do, you act like it won't come to an end} (Sean thoughts to Emma)

*This chapter is named after a song by New Edition*

For the next several weeks, Jay and Emma began to spend more and more time together. Their bond and friendship was strengthening on a daily basis. Jay would often meet her for lunch whenever Emma took a break from work and Emma would go directly to the auto-repair garage at night after work to visit Jay. She was very impressed with Jay's work ethic and his knowledge of cars. Even Sean didn't make it seem very interesting.

Sean was not approving of Emma coming home so late on a regular basis. Whenever he confronted her, it often led to arguments. Sean demanded to know what Emma was up to and Emma constantly insisted that he isn't her boss and she can do as she please. One night, Emma came home at one in the morning and she had a very heated argument with Sean in the living room.

"Emma, this better be the last fucking time you come home this late!" Sean barked.

"Sean, don't tell me what to do!" Emma argued.

"What the fuck are you doing coming home so late all the time?!" Sean demanded."You better give me an answer this time."

"I didn't answer you any other time you asked and I'm not going to answer you now," Emma insisted.

"Do you think this a fucking game?" Sean yelled.

"Sean, just leave me alone," Emma snapped.

Emma turned around to walk away but Sean grabbed her and turned her back around.

"Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you," Sean told her.

"Keep your goddamn hands off of me," Emma snarled."Don't you ever grab me like that again!"

"Grab you?!" Sean exclaimed."Emma, I'm tempted to slap the shit out of you right now!"

"I would love to see you try," Emma challenged him.

"Emma, I'm warning you……" Sean threatened.

"Kiss my ass, Sean," Emma snapped.

Sean grabbed the coffee table and flipped it over with one swipe of his muscular arm; Emma jumped to the side so it wouldn't hit her. Glass shattered all over the carpet and the dogs began to bark at Sean and Emma.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Emma screamed."You're going to replace that!"

"My problem is, I've been arguing with you every fucking night for weeks and you've been pissing me off!" Sean shouted."Why don't you show some consideration for Dakota? She doesn't need to be hearing all of this!"

"If you would shut the fuck up, she won't hear anything," Emma snapped.

Sean just glared at Emma. His face was hot but his eyes had this icy cold look in them.

"I can't believe you broke this expensive coffee table," Emma said, angrily.

"Do you prefer I break your legs?" Sean growled.

"Sean, your threats don't scare me," Emma insisted."I don't give care how much of "bad-ass" you think you are. You put NO fear in my heart."

"I'm not replacing that coffee table," Sean snapped.

"Then you will clean up that mess," Emma told him.

"No," Sean defied her.

"Clean it up!" Emma screamed, loudly.

"I said no."

"Clean it up or get the hell out of my house," Emma snarled.

"You'd really kick me out over a fucking coffee table?" Sean asked.

"Try me if you think I'm joking," Emma dared him.

Sean exhaled and then proceeded to clean up the glass. Emma turned around and headed upstairs to bed. Meanwhile, Dakota was in her bedroom, crying her eyes out. She had been hearing her parents argue every other night for the past month and it frightened her. However, this most recent argument was by far the most frightening because it sounded violent. As a ten year old girl, the last thing she needed to be exposed to was this type of domestic problem.

A few minutes later, Dakota made her way downstairs to the living room. Sean was still cleaning up the fragments of the glass coffee table. He cut his index finger on a piece of glass.

"Shit," he hissed.

"Daddy, are you okay?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, baby," Sean replied."I didn't even realize you were down here. Can you get me some tissue please?"

Dakota nodded and headed to the bathroom. A few seconds later she returned with a piece of tissue and handed it to Sean.

"Thanks, sweetie," Sean said.

Sean was on his knees as he pressed the tissue to his hand and applied pressure to stop the bleeding. Dakota looked at the mess on the floor and started to cry all over again.

"Baby, don't cry," Sean soothed her."Come here."

Dakota approached her father and threw her arms around him. Sean held her tightly as she cried onto his shoulder.

"Daddy please, I don't want you to fight with Mom anymore," Dakota sobbed.

"I know," Sean said, softly."I'm sorry you had to hear that. I promise it won't happen again."

"I love you, Daddy," Dakota told him, tearfully.

"I love you too, sweetie," Sean said."I love you more than anything in the whole world."

Sean gave his daughter a kiss and held her until she finished crying. Sean let her go and got up off his knees.

"Go back to bed, baby," he told her."You don't want to be all groggy at school."

"Okay."

"Goodnight," Sean said.

"Goodnight, Daddy," Dakota said.

As Dakota headed back upstairs to her bedroom, Sean finished cleaning up the mess. When he was finished, he headed upstairs to the master bedroom. Emma was in the bed asleep. Sean took his shirt off and climbed in the bed next to her. He shook her awake.

"What do you want, Sean?" Emma snapped."I'm tired."

"Well, I'm tired of your bullshit," Sean snapped back.

"You woke me up to argue?!" Emma exclaimed.

"No, we're not going to argue," Sean insisted, sternly."Dakota came downstairs crying her eyes out because she overheard what happened tonight. I'm not going to put my daughter through this crap. She doesn't deserve it."

"I have the day off," Emma told him."I'll drive her to school tomorrow and I'll apologize to her."

"You owe me an apology too," Sean said.

"Sean, I owe you shit," Emma snapped."I'm not doing anything wrong."

"Whatever, Emma," Sean muttered.

"Did you clean up that coffee table?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I cleaned up the fucking coffee table," Sean cursed.

"Good."

Finally, they both went to sleep with their backs facing each other. When the sun came up, Sean and Emma got out of bed. They didn't say good morning to each other. They just went to separate bathrooms to wash up and get dressed. Dakota's alarm clock woke her up and she headed to the bathroom to wash up. Although she was still a little sleepy, she was relieved that it was Friday. After she got dressed, she waited downstairs in the living room. A few moments later, Sean came downstairs and headed into the living room. He gave Dakota a kiss.

"Bye, sweetie," he said."Have a good day."

"Daddy, aren't you taking me to school?" Dakota asked.

"No, your mom is," Sean replied.

After saying goodbye, Sean headed out the door for work. A few minutes later, Emma came downstairs and Dakota followed her to her car. As Emma drove, Dakota sat in the passenger's seat with a bitter expression on her face.

"Honey, I am really sorry about last night," Emma told her."You know your dad and I love each other. We just have issues; it's normal for a married couple to have issues."

Dakota just sighed. She was very upset with her mother. She believed that last night and the nights before that was all her fault. If she wouldn't stay out so late, she and her father wouldn't argue so much. Dakota always thought her parents were so happy together, why would her mother want to ruin it?

"I understand if you're mad at me," Emma said."But your dad promised you things won't ever get out of hand like that again. I promise you too. Okay?"

Dakota nodded even though she was still upset. After Emma dropped Dakota off at school, she drove back home. She spent most of the day walking the dogs, watching TV, reading and doing other things to get her mind off of her fight with Sean. Things were getting really ugly between them and Emma didn't like it. Did he suspect that she was cheating? Emma realized it didn't matter because she wasn't technically cheating. She was just coming home later than usual.

Sometime in the afternoon, Jay called her.

"Hey Jay," Emma said.

"Hey, are you ready for tonight?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Emma said.

Tonight was the night that the play "Love Saw It" was premiering. After talking to Jay for a few minutes, Emma hung up. She was very excited about going to the play with him, but if Sean sees her going out he would probably get angry again. Emma just sighed and tried not to let it worry her. She was not cheating on Sean. She and Jay were nothing but friends.

"What the hell am I doing?" Emma asked herself."Jay and I may be just friends but Sean and Manny started out somewhere. I'm sure they didn't just rush into an affair."

Again, Emma dismissed it and decided that she was still going to spend time with Jay whenever she wanted to. She had self-control and she trusted that Jay had it too. She didn't want to cheat on Sean and she was sure that Jay didn't want to cheat on Manny.

"It's not going to happen," Emma convinced herself.

Emma was going to have fun tonight, but not of a scandalous nature.


	19. I Don't Wanna Know

{I don't wanna know if you're playing me. Keep it on the low, 'cause my heart can't take it anymore. And if you're creeping, please don't let it show}(Sean's thoughts to Emma)

*This chapter is named after a song by Mario Winans*

While Sean was fixing a car engine at work, he thought about his fight with Emma. He was still upset about it and he was angry at both himself and Emma for giving their daughter such a fright. On the other hand, Sean did feel a little better about the situation. He was actually glad that Dakota overheard the argument because it gave him a reason not to dispute with Emma anymore about coming home late. Although he constantly asked her what she was doing so late at night, he really feared what her answer would be if she ever decided to answer him. Sean couldn't bear the thought of Emma cheating on him; therefore, he'd rather just not know. She's been a faithful wife for the entire twelve years they have been married. Why would she change?

Later at around six o clock that evening, Emma had just finished cooking dinner. She made some delicious veggie lasagna with extra cheese and sauce. Although Sean and Dakota were notorious carnivores, they never complained about Emma's cooking.

"Dakota, dinner's ready!" Emma called.

A few seconds later, Dakota entered the kitchen as Emma served plates.

"Did you wash your hands?" Emma asked.

"I want to wait for Dad," Dakota insisted."He should be coming home from work soon."

"Sure, it's up to you," Emma said with a shrug.

When Dakota left the kitchen, Emma sighed.

That girl acts like she doesn't want to do anything without her dad, Emma thought.

For a moment, Emma felt silly for getting jealous. Most girls are attached to their fathers. About fifteen minutes later, Sean came into the door and took off his jacket. Dakota came downstairs to greet him. Sean and Emma didn't bother to speak to each other. The three of them just sat in the dining room eating their dinner. Emma was quiet as Sean and Dakota carried their own conversation. She felt like a complete outcast. Sean and Dakota had a very special connection that Emma just couldn't compete with. Not that she ever felt the need to compete with her own husband for her daughter's affections or vice versa.

"Daddy, instead of a car can I get a motorcycle when I turn sixteen?" Dakota asked.

"No way!" Sean exclaimed.

"Why not?" Dakota asked.

"Because it's too dangerous," Sean told her."You can't be a wild child like I was."

"Can you at least teach me how to box?" Dakota asked.

"Now that I can do," Sean said.

Dakota and Sean chuckled together.

"Can I interrupt for a second?" Emma asked.

"You just did," Sean said.

"Whatever," Emma muttered, rolling her eyes.

"What is it?" Sean asked her, sharply.

"I'm going out tonight," Emma replied."Someone from work gave me an extra ticket to this play. I'll be going with her and her husband."

"And?"

"I'm just letting you know, so you don't harass me about it later," Emma told him.

"Look Emma, I couldn't care less about what you're doing," Sean stated."After seeing how scared Dakota was last night after that fight we had, I'm never going to question you again. If you're up to something slick, you better be really discreet about it. Because if I find out about it, there WILL be a problem. Got it?"

Emma sighed and she didn't say another word. She just ate her food while Sean and Dakota continued their conversation. After they finished eating, Emma washed the dishes while Sean took Dakota to the movies. At around 8:20PM, Emma showered, got dressed, applied some make-up and a fine perfume. She was wearing tight purple dress that accentuated her curves and a pair of open-toed high heel shoes. She pulled her hair back into a pony-tail and added a little spray to it.

A little after 9:00PM, Emma was on her way out the door. She drove out into the city and pulled up in front of a big theatre. After parking her car, Emma clutched her jacket around her as she waited for Jay. He showed up about ten minutes later.

"Hey Emma," Jay said.

"Hey," Emma said.

"You look great," Jay complimented her.

"Wow, so do you," Emma told him.

Jay never cared for fashion, but he was wearing a nice pale blue dress shirt, some Armani slacks and some shiny, black shoes. His cologne had a rich and exotic scent. He was looking incredibly handsome that night.

"The only time I've ever seen you dressed up like that was at your wedding with Manny and at my wedding with Sean," Emma commented.

"I know," Jay said."Manny picked up this outfit for me last year in New York. This is the first time I'm wearing it though."

"How did she react when she saw you in it tonight?" Emma asked.

"She didn't see me in it," Jay replied."She thinks I'm at work right now. I stopped by Alex's house to change into this. When Alex asked me what the occasion was, I told her Manny and I was going to a dinner party with some of her coworkers."

"Jay, why do you go through so much to keep your love of plays a secret?" Emma asked him.

"Can't you just be happy that you're the only one that I can be myself around?" Jay insisted.

"Yeah," Emma agreed."You're right, Jay."

"Come on, let's go inside," Jay said.

Jay took Emma's hand and they made their way inside the theatre. The usher collected their tickets and escorted them to their seats. They had a very decent seat with a great view. Emma and Jay smiled at each other before the play began. It began at 10:00PM. It was three hours long plus a half-hour intermission. However, it was worth it. Jay and Emma really enjoyed the play; it had its fair share of drama, romance, comedy and tragedy all in one. At around 1:30AM, they exited the theatre and stood outside.

"I had an amazing time, Jay," Emma told him.

"I did too," Jay said.

"Thanks for coming with me," Emma said.

"Of course."

"Goodnight," Emma said.

"Goodnight," Jay said.

Emma gave Jay a kiss on the cheek and then started to walk away.

"Emma?" Jay called after her.

Emma turned back around as Jay approached her.

"I just want you to know that I have no regrets," Jay said.

"No regrets about what?" Emma asked, confused.

"I don't regret befriending Sean or marrying Manny," Jay stated."But I do regret not getting to know you better a lot sooner."

"Well, we're friends now," Emma said.

"And that's all that matters, right?" Jay said.

"Right."

They hugged each other and said goodnight again. They went their separate ways to their cars and drove home. A little after two in the morning, Emma came in the house. It was dark, so she assumed Sean and Dakota were asleep. The dogs barked at her and hopped all over her.

"Be quiet, you two," Emma scolded them.

She petted the dogs for a little while and then went upstairs to the bedroom. She quietly stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. Emma turned on the light dimmers; bright enough for her to see, but not bright enough to wake Sean. Emma removed her clothes and makeup. After slipping on a nightshirt, she climbed into the bed with Sean and went to sleep. Sean actually heard her as soon as she came into the room, but he didn't acknowledge it.

Another week went past and Emma stayed out late with Jay five out of seven nights. She and Sean didn't argue, but they definitely were not speaking to each other either. Dakota couldn't help but notice the distance between her parents and all she could do was blame her mother for it. A week later, it was Saturday morning and Sean left out for work; Emma had the day off. At eight o clock in the morning, Emma washed up and put on a grey sweatshirt and jeans. She entered Dakota's room; she was sitting on her bed watching TV.

"Good morning, sweetie," Emma said.

"Good morning," Dakota murmured, not looking at her.

"Do you want to come with me to walk the dogs?" Emma asked.

Dakota shook her head no.

"Okay, I'll get breakfast started when I get back," Emma told her.

"I can make my own breakfast," Dakota insisted."I'm ten years old."

"Well, you know you're not allowed to use the stove without adult supervision," Emma stated."So you might as well wait."

"Mom, I'm going to eat Cocoa Puffs," Dakota sassed."Last time I checked, you didn't need a stove for that."

"Fine," Emma muttered.

As Emma left Dakota's bedroom, she wondered why she was acting so mean. Emma just shrugged it off as she snapped some leashes on Penny and Jenny. Emma walked the dogs for about forty five minutes and then she headed back into the house. While Dakota was eating her cereal, Emma fixed herself some toast and coffee. When Emma was finished, she walked into the living room and watched TV for a few hours. At around 11:00AM, the phone rang and Emma answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Jay said.

"Hey you," Emma said.

"Are you busy?" Jay asked.

"Not really," Emma replied."But I'm taking Dakota to Toby and Liberty's at three o clock. Why?"

"I just bought a whole DVD box set of plays written by the same guy that wrote the play we saw last week," Jay reported.

"Oh really?" Emma asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, can I come over so we can watch it together?" Jay asked.

"Definitely," Emma responded."I'd like that."

"Cool, I'll be right over."

Jay arrived about fifteen minutes later. He and Emma munched on some popcorn as they watched the DVDs. For the next three and a half hours or so, they chatted while they watched the DVDs.

"This one is my favorite," Emma said.

"Yeah, it's good," Jay agreed.

"But how could Stephanie take Mickey back after what he did?" Emma asked.

"She loved him," Jay insisted.

"He slept with her mother for heaven's sake!" Emma exclaimed.

"Well, you forgave Sean," Jay reminded her.

"Sean slept with my best friend," Emma insisted."That was heartbreaking but forgivable. If he slept with mother, forgiving him would be about as possible as pigs flying."

"Can you blame Mickey, though?" Jay stated."Stephanie's mom is HOT."

"Shut up, Jay," Emma said, jokingly."You're such an idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot?" Jay asked.

"You!" Emma challenged him.

"I'll show you an idiot!" Jay exclaimed.

Jay playfully pounced on Emma and tried to pin her arms down to the sofa.

"Jay, get off!" Emma exclaimed, laughing.

Jay ignored her protests as he continued to wrestle with her on the couch. Finally, he successfully managed to pin her arms down to the couch.

"Okay! Okay! I give up!" Emma giggled.

Jay slowly removed his hands from her arms, but he remained on top of her. They laughed for a few seconds and then quietly stared into each other's eyes. Feeling the moment, Emma placed her hands on both sides of Jay's head and pulled him down towards her. Before their lips had the chance to meet, Dakota stepped into the living room.

"Mom!" she exclaimed.

Startled, Jay got off of Emma and stood up. Emma sat back up and fixed her hair.

"What are you doing?" Dakota asked.

"Um, nothing, sweetie," Emma said."Is your bag packed for the night? Are you ready to leave?"

Dakota nodded.

"I better get going," Jay said.

Before Emma had a chance to say goodbye, Jay hurried out the door. Emma's heart was pounding hard. She couldn't believe she almost kissed Jay and she couldn't believe Dakota caught them!


	20. Don't Let Go

{What's it gonna be? 'Cause I can't pretend, don't you wanna be more than friends? Just don't hold me tight and don't let go. Don't let go; you have the right to lose control}(Manny's thoughts to Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by En Vogue*

Shortly after Jay left, Dakota came back downstairs carrying her overnight bag. She and Emma headed out to the car and got inside. The fact that Dakota caught her almost kissing Jay was very disturbing for Emma. She prayed Dakota wouldn't tell Sean. As Emma drove, she and Dakota were very quiet. Dakota was very angry with her mother and she was seriously beginning to resent her. After catching her with Jay, she understood more and more why her father was starting not to trust her mother.

Emma parked her car in front of Toby and Liberty's house. She and Dakota made their way onto the front porch of Liberty's big, beautiful house. After ringing the doorbell, Liberty answered it.

"Hey Emma, hey Dakota," Liberty greeted them.

"Hey Liberty," Emma and Dakota said in unison.

Liberty let them into the door.

"Kids, Dakota's here!" Liberty loudly announced.

Liberty and Toby's twin son and daughter, Ryder and Coral, bolted down the stairs to greet Dakota.

"Hey! Hey! Stop running!" Liberty scolded them.

"Sorry, Mom," Coral said.

"Hi kids," Emma said.

"Hi Emma," the twins responded.

"Dakota, sweetie, I'll see you on Sunday," Emma told her.

Dakota nodded.

"Behave yourself," Emma added.

She gave Dakota a hug, but Dakota didn't squeeze back. Ryder and Coral led Dakota upstairs to play.

"Emma, do you want some coffee?" Liberty asked.

"Sure," Emma replied.

Emma and Liberty walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch. The maid, Gloria, was dusting off the coffee table.

"Gloria, can you please get us some coffee?" Liberty asked.

"Yes," Gloria replied, politely.

Gloria made her to the kitchen. Emma glanced at the other couch and noticed a stack of papers piled on top of a laptop.

"Wow, Liberty," Emma said."You have a day off of work and you're still working."

"I know," Liberty groaned."I have a couple of briefs to prepare for some upcoming court dates."

"Oh," Emma said.

"Is Dakota mad at you?" Liberty asked."She looked mad at you."

"Yeah," Emma sighed.

"Why?" Liberty asked.

"Because Sean and I have been arguing a lot lately," Emma explained."But last week, we had a really huge argument. He was so pissed; he flung my six hundred dollar coffee table over and totally shattered it."

"Oh my goodness," Liberty gasped.

"Dakota overheard everything and she was really scared and upset," Emma stated."She's been mad at me ever since."

"I know Dakota has always been "Daddy's Little Girl", but shouldn't she mad at both of you?" Liberty insisted.

"Well, the reason Sean and I have been arguing is because I've been coming home late for the past month," Emma told her."Dakota probably thinks it's all my fault or something."

"Oh."

Gloria came back into the room carrying a tray with two coffee mugs, several packets of cream and sugar. She smiled as she set the tray down on the coffee table.

"Wow, that was fast," Emma said.

"I had it brewing already," Gloria told her.

"Thank you," Emma said.

"You're welcome," Gloria said.

As Gloria left the room, Liberty and Emma started adding sugar and cream to their coffee.

"Liberty, before I found out that Manny had an affair with Sean, did she tell you about it?" Emma asked.

"Of course not," Liberty replied."I would've told you."

"Oh."

"Toby's the one that told me; he heard it from you after you heard it from Jay," Liberty said."Remember?"

"Yeah, I was just asking," Emma said.

"But why?" Liberty asked.

"No reason," Emma insisted.

They sipped their coffee quietly for a few seconds.

"I've been talking to this…….guy a lot lately," Emma told her."He's the reason why I've been coming home late."

"Wow, are you sleeping with him?" Liberty asked.

"No, not at all!" Emma exclaimed."We didn't even kiss yet. Well, we almost kissed earlier."

"You don't love this guy, do you?" Liberty asked.

"No," Emma said."But I do have feelings for him; but this is all wrong."

"Because you're married," Liberty stated.

"Yeah and he's also married," Emma told her.

Liberty shook her head shamefully.

"Emma, as your friend, I hope you don't take my criticism the wrong way," Liberty said.

"Okay," Emma said, nervously.

"How could you date another woman's husband when you know how much it hurt when Sean cheated on you?" Liberty asked.

"Liberty, it's not that simple," Emma insisted.

"What do you mean it's not that simple?" Liberty asked.

"Because four years ago his wife slept with my husband," Emma revealed.

"Oh my god," Liberty gasped."It's Jay?"

Emma nodded.

"I don't know what to say," Liberty sighed.

"Well, I'm praying you won't say anything," Emma told her."Manny is both our best friend, so I won't pressure you to keep it a secret. I'm just hoping that you will."

"This does put me in an awkward position," Liberty admitted."But since you didn't sleep with him, I guess telling Manny wouldn't be necessary."

"I didn't even kiss him yet," Emma stated."We're not technically dating each other but I do realize that our interactions are inappropriate."

"So, what are you going to do?" Liberty asked.

"I'm going to stop it before it even begins," Emma replied.

"Good move," Liberty told her.

"I really love Sean," Emma said."So, I have to tell Jay we can't keep seeing each other."

Liberty and Emma talked for a little while longer. When they were finished with their coffee, Emma said goodbye and left. She drove back home and took the dogs for another walk. Emma needed some fresh air and time to think. She really liked Jay, but they were going too far. If Dakota hadn't walked in on them, they surely would have ended up kissing.

When she came back in the house, she took the leashes off the dogs and headed into the living room. Emma picked up the phone and ordered a pizza. The pizza man arrived less than forty minutes later. She tipped him for the delivery and then brought the pizza into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Sean arrived home from work. He entered the dining room and saw Emma eating pizza.

"Hey honey, how was work?" Emma asked.

"Fine," Sean muttered.

"There's more pizza in the kitchen if you want any," Emma told him.

"I'll eat later, but thanks," Sean grumbled.

Sean turned around to walk away, but Emma stood up in front of him and put her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek.

"Baby, are you still mad at me?" Emma asked.

Sean removed Emma's arms from around his neck.

"Sean, come on," Emma groaned."We haven't argued in a week so why are you still mad at me?"

"Because you keep staying out late and you know how much it bothers me," Sean snapped."The only reason we're not arguing is because I promised Dakota that what happened last week will never happen again. That's why I don't confront you about it anymore. But there's a limit to how much more of this shit I can take."

"But Sean—"Emma started to say.

"Emma, just leave me alone," Sean cut her off."Don't talk to me right now."

Sean turned around and headed upstairs to the master bathroom to take a shower. Emma sighed and sat back down at the table. She decided that she definitely needed to stop seeing Jay. She and Jay weren't even having sex with each other but it was still causing problems at home. Emma loved her husband and her daughter with all her heart; nothing was worth coming between her and her family. She planned to talk to Jay that night.

At around eight o clock, Emma headed out the door and drove away. Sean angrily watched Emma go out again. He needed someone to talk to because he was feeling really upset. His first instinct was to call his best friend, Jay. However, the call went directly to Jay's voicemail. So he decided to call Jay's house.

After three rings, Manny answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Manny," Sean said."Jay's at work, right?"

"Yeah," Manny said.

"Damn, does he ever get a night off?" Sean groaned.

"Sometimes," Manny said.

"I really want to speak to him," Sean said."I'm going through something right now."

"Okay, I'll tell him you called," Manny said.

"Thanks," Sean said.

"You're welcome," Manny stated."Bye."

"Bye."

They hung up. Sean stared at the phone for a few seconds and then called Manny back. Manny answered.

"Manny, are you busy right now?" Sean asked.

"No," Manny replied.

"Can you meet me at the Dot to talk?" Sean asked.

"Um, sure," Manny said, hesitantly.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Sean said.

After hanging up with Manny, Sean put on a T-shirt, a jacket and some jeans. He walked out the door and headed to his car. Ten minutes later, he met Manny at the Dot. They sat at the bar section and ordered two apple martinis.

"So, what's going on?" Manny asked.

"Emma and I haven't been getting along lately," Sean replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Manny said.

"Did she tell you about the arguments we've been having lately?" Sean asked.

"No," Manny responded.

"Are you sure?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Manny insisted.

"Well, you're her best friend," Sean stated."She tells you everything."

"We haven't had much time to speak lately," Manny said."We've been busy."

"Manny, I love Emma so much," Sean continued."I don't know why she's acting this way. When she forgave me for cheating on her four years ago, I've been so good to her. All I ever tried to do was make her feel loved and appreciated. If there's something I'm doing wrong, I wish she would just tell me."

Sean had to fight back tears. Manny felt sorry for him; she wanted to reach out and hold his hand to comfort him, but she felt it would be inappropriate. So, she just kept her hands on her lap.

"If Emma ever told you she was cheating on me, would you tell me?" Sean asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure I would," Manny replied.

"Why not?" Sean asked.

"Because she's my best friend," Manny said."She expects to be able to trust me."

"Well, I'm your friend too," Sean said.

"Sean, we can't be friends," Manny insisted.

"But I thought we agreed to be friends when you came back from New York," Sean protested.

"I know, but it just wouldn't work," Manny sighed.

"Why?" Sean asked.

"You're not going to like my answer," Manny warned him, softly.

"What is it?" Sean asked.

"I can't deny it anymore…..I'm still in love with you," Manny confessed.

"Oh no, Manny, please don't say that," Sean groaned.

"It's the truth, Sean," Manny told him."I thought that moving away to New York would make me get over you, but it only made me think about you more. I think Jay somehow knew that I wasn't over you. Maybe that's why we had so many issues these past four years."

"Manny, why can't we just be friends?" Sean asked."Why are you making things so complicated?"

"I can't help the way I feel," Manny told him."I'm the wrong person to talk to about your issues with Emma. You have Jay for that."

"But I couldn't reach him," Sean said.

"I know, but I can't hang out with you like this if we can't be more than friends," Manny stated.

"I can't go there with you again, Manny," Sean told her."Emma is my wife. We may have problems now, but we'll get through it. We always do."

Manny nodded as tears formed in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away.

"I'm sorry," Sean said.

"No Sean, I'm sorry," Manny insisted."I don't want to ruin things between you and Emma again."

Manny swallowed the rest of her martini, said goodnight and then headed out the door. She made her way to her car. She cried as fumbled around inside her purse for her car keys. In addition to being hurt, she felt stupid.

"Manny wait!"

Manny turned around and saw Sean coming up to her.

"Manny, please don't go," Sean said."I love you."

Manny was surprised; this was the first time Sean ever said those three words to her.

"Do you mean it?" Manny asked, as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Yes," Sean said, sincerely.

"I love you, too," Manny told him.

They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed passionately. Sweet sensations ran throughout their bodies. The kiss lasted for nearly sixty seconds.

"Let's get out of here," Sean said."We have a lot of lovemaking to catch up on."

"I can't wait," Manny said, with a smile.


	21. Nice And Slow

{Let me take you to a place that's nice and quiet; there ain't no one there to interrupt, ain't gotta rush. I just wanna take it nice and slow. See, I've been waiting for this for so long; we'll be making love until the sun comes up. I just wanna take it nice and slow}(Jay's thoughts to Emma)

*This chapter is named after a song by Usher*

Sean and Manny decided to go to the same hotel they used to go to last time they had an affair. It was the Culleyfield hotel. After checking in, Sean and Manny headed to their room. Excited and eager, Manny ran over towards the bed and tossed herself onto it. Sean followed and climbed on top of her. They softly kissed and caressed each other. Once their clothes were completely off, they made passionate love. Manny was so happy to feel the pleasure Sean was reintroducing her to after four years. It was a pleasure she has been yearning for ever since they stopped seeing each other. Her hands ran up and down his back as he stroked her deeply and smoothly.

Meanwhile, Emma drove to the auto-repair garage. After parking her car, she took a deep breath and stepped out of it. It took her fifteen minutes to work up the courage to walk inside and look around for Jay. Jay had no customers to assist, so he was sitting on a crate, listening to his IPod. When he saw Emma approach him, he removed his earphones and stood up.

"Hey," Jay said.

"Hey," Emma said.

"I haven't had any customers in over an hour," Jay told her.

"Oh," Emma said.

"I should ask Lionel if I could go home," Jay stated.

Lionel was the nightshift boss.

"Jay, we need to talk," Emma told him.

"What's up?" Jay asked.

"You're a sweet guy and I enjoyed spending time with you, but what happened earlier was out of line," Emma said.

"I know," Jay agreed."I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Emma assured him."I'm just as guilty."

"Well, we didn't actually kiss," Jay insisted.

"That's because Dakota walked in," Emma told him."Who knows what it would have led to if we didn't get caught."

"I wasn't actually going to have sex with you while Dakota was in the house," Jay said.

"But kissing me would have been bad enough," Emma insisted.

"So, you don't want to hang out with me anymore?" Jay asked.

"I do; but I can't," Emma replied."What if we give into temptation someday and wind up sleeping together? We are married to each other's best friends; we can't risk losing them. My marriage with Sean is not perfect, but I still cherish it. I love him so much and I know you love Manny too."

"I do love Manny," Jay stated."But let's face it; she and Sean didn't consider the risk of losing us when they decided to sleep together. Did they?"

Before Emma can respond, the nightshift boss, Lionel, approached Jay.

"Jay, you can go home," Lionel told him."We're not really getting many customers."

"Okay," Jay said.

"How are you, Mrs. Cameron?" Lionel asked.

"I'm fine; thanks," Emma responded.

After Lionel walked away, Jay looked at Emma.

"You know what, Emma?" Jay stated."Just forget about what Sean and Manny did four years ago. This isn't about them; it's about us. The truth of the matter is…..I really like you a lot. What I feel for you is deep. Deeper than friendship. Is there any part of you that feels the same?"

Emma paused for a moment and then said."Yes."

"So, why don't we just test it out a little?" Jay suggested."If it still doesn't feel right, we'll end it. I promise."

Emma paused again and then said."Okay."

Jay smiled at her and she smiled back.

"So, since you have the night off, what do you want to do tonight?" Emma asked.

"Let's go somewhere where we can be alone," Jay replied."Just me and you."

"Like a hotel?" Emma asked.

"It's our only option," Jay shrugged.

"Okay, let's go," Emma stated.

After Jay clocked out, he and Emma headed to their cars and drove off. When they found a hotel, they pulled into its parking lot and parked their cars. Emma and Jay looked up at the hotel.

"Isn't this where Sean and Manny used to go?" Emma asked.

"Yep," Jay replied."The Culleyfield hotel."

Jay and Emma entered the hotel and split the cost of a room. Had they gotten there five minutes earlier, they would've seen Sean and Manny go in together! Jay inserted the key and opened up the door to their room. He and Emma stepped inside, closed the door and looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds.

Suddenly, they leaned towards each other and started kissing. They kissed deeply as their tongues danced together and their hands roamed each other's bodies. Jay had to resist the urge to take Emma down right there on the spot. So, he took her hand and led her towards the bed. They lied down side by side and continued to make out. As Jay continued to kiss Emma, he placed his hand on her leg. He slowly moved his hand up her calf, up her thigh and then under her skirt. Emma trembled a little as she felt him go under.

"Is it okay?" Jay asked her, considerately.

"Yeah," Emma said, softly.

Little by little, they took off each other's clothes and proceeded to make love to each other for the very first time. It was one of the most erotic and sensual experiences either of them ever had. It lasted for hours. Although they made love slowly, time seemed to have gone by quite fast because the feeling was so amazing and neither one of them wanted it to end. When they were done, Jay held Emma in his arms as they talked. After an hour long conversation that reflected on what they did, they fell asleep together.

At around six o clock in the morning, Emma opened her eyes and stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. She felt a little strange at first because she hadn't woken up anywhere but at home in a long time. Emma wondered if she really did what she thought she did. When she glanced over at Jay sleeping next to her, she confirmed it.

Yeah, we actually did it, Emma thought.

It was a beautiful experience and Emma didn't regret it, but she feared Sean's reaction terribly. Would he somehow be able to tell that she cheated on him? Would he figure out that it was Jay? Emma sighed and decided not to worry. Little did she know, while she was making love to Sean's best friend, Sean was doing the same exact thing to her best friend….at the same time, in the same hotel!

Emma reached out and gently shook Jay awake.

"Good morning," Jay moaned, tiredly.

"Good morning," Emma said, smiling.

"Last night was amazing," Jay told her.

"Yeah, it was," Emma agreed.

Jay started stroking Emma's hair for a few seconds and then he kissed her lips.

"Jay, I hate for us to leave each other so soon, but I have to work today," Emma told him.

"Okay," Jay said."Do you want to get together tonight?"

"Absolutely," Emma replied.

"Cool."

They got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower, they got dressed, headed downstairs to the lobby and checked out. They stood in the parking lot, preparing to say goodbye.

"I'll see you tonight," Jay told her.

"Okay," Emma said.

"Have a good day at work," Jay said.

"I will," Emma said.

They kissed each other, headed to their cars and then parted ways. Emma had this amazing sensation in her soul as she drove on the road. She listened to an upbeat pop song on the radio to match her joyous mood. Twenty minutes later, she pulled up in front of her house. When she parked in the garage, she didn't see Sean's car.

"I thought he had today off," Emma wondered.

She just shrugged and headed into the house. The first thing she did was make sure the dogs had a full bowl of fresh food and water. After that, she headed upstairs to her bedroom and took out her work uniform. After she finished dressing, she left back out the house and made her way to her car.

While she was driving to work, she thought about last night. The feeling she had after the love she and Jay made together was something she wanted to talk about and even sing about. She remembered the conversation she had with Liberty and she wished she could share the news with her. However, Manny was Liberty's friend too and Liberty would've been obligated to tell her. So, this would have to be kept a secret between her and Jay. She couldn't wait to see him again.


	22. Thinking Of You In The Afternoon

{Thinking of you, in the afternoon. I'm thinking about the love we made in the evening. It keeps me dreaming of being with you in the bedroom. I can't wait. I'm thinking of love; I'm thinking of you.}(Jay's thoughts to Emma).

*This chapter is named after a song by Soul For Real*

When Jay returned home that morning, he took off his jacket and locked the front door. He noticed that Manny's car wasn't in the driveway, so he called her cell phone.

It was a little after 7:30AM and Manny was still at the hotel in the bed with Sean. They were both sleeping until Manny's cell phone woke them up. Manny noticed Jay's number on the caller ID, so she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, where are you?" Jay asked.

Oh shit. Think of a good lie and quick! Manny thought.

"Manny, did you hear me?" Jay asked.

"Oh no, honey, I had a bad connection," Manny told him."What did you ask me?"

"Where are you?" Jay repeated.

"I..uh..I'm food shopping," Manny lied."The fridge is half empty."

"Oh," Jay said."Well, do you need help? Do you want me to meet you at the supermarket?"

"No, honey," Manny replied."You were working all night. Just stay at home and relax. I'll call you when I'm outside to help with the grocery bags."

"Are you sure?" Jay asked.

"I'm positive," Manny stated.

"Alright, baby, I'll see you later," Jay said.

"Okay. Bye."

After she hung up with Jay, she looked at Sean.

"I have to go food shopping," Manny told him.

"Okay," Sean said."I gotta get going too."

"Damn, I'm so mad," Manny groaned.

"Why, baby?" Sean asked.

"Because this is the first morning we've spent together in four years and it's been cut short," Manny replied.

"Well, at least we got to spend all of last night together," Sean told her.

"Yeah," Manny sighed.

"We can hook up again later," Sean insisted.

"Okay," Manny said.

They kissed each other tenderly. After taking a shower together, they got dressed and checked out of the hotel. Sean drove home and he looked forward to some peace and silence. Dakota was at Liberty and Toby's house and Emma was at work. Manny drove to the supermarket and bought a cartful of groceries. When she finished, she drove home and called Jay to come outside and help with the bags.

When Jay came outside, he and Manny had an uncomfortable expression on their faces. They both cheated on each other last night and their guilty conscience was nipping away at them. After bringing the groceries into the kitchen, they started putting the food away into the refrigerator, cabinets and freezer. Jay glanced over at Manny; she was putting soup cans into the cabinet with a glum expression on her face.

"Why are you so quiet?" Jay asked.

"No reason," Manny replied."Why are YOU so quiet?"

"No reason; I'm just tired from work," Jay told her.

They were both hoping that the other didn't suspect they were cheating last night. When they were finished putting the food away, Jay disposed of the shopping bags.

"Are you hungry, baby?" Manny asked.

"Yeah," Jay said.

Manny cooked breakfast for both of them and they ate in silence. They both felt quite awkward around each other for the moment.

However, they were both too busy worrying if they had the words "I Cheated" tattooed on their foreheads to even notice that the other was feeling the same way.

At around two o clock in the afternoon, Sean decided to drive over to Toby and Liberty's house. He walked onto the front porch and rang the doorbell. The maid, Gloria, answered the door.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Cameron," Gloria greeted him.

"Good afternoon," Sean said."Is my daughter around?"

"Yes, she's inside," Gloria told him.

Gloria let Sean into the house. Liberty came towards the front and greeted him.

"Hi Sean, I thought Dakota was staying until Sunday," Liberty said.

"She is," Sean said."I just came by to take her out for the day."

"Okay," Liberty nodded.

"Ryder and Coral can come too, if it's okay with you," Sean told her.

"Sure, that's fine," Liberty said.

A few seconds later, Dakota, Ryder and Coral came downstairs in their pajamas.

"Hi Daddy, what are you doing here?" Dakota asked.

"I'm going to take you guys out," Sean replied."Go get dressed."

They all cheered as they jogged back upstairs.

"Where's Toby?" Sean asked.

"I'm not sure; he should be back soon," Liberty replied.

Once the kids were dressed, Sean led them to his car and drove away.

Back at the Santos/Hogart household, Jay and Manny were cuddled together on the couch watching a movie. Even though they had their arm around each other, their affection wasn't necessarily for each other. Manny had Sean on her mind and Jay had Emma on his mind. They couldn't stop thinking about the wonderful sex they had with them last night.

"Babe, I have to use the bathroom," Jay said.

"Okay," Manny said.

Jay got up and walked out of the living room. On his way to the bathroom, his cell phone chirped. He took it out of his pocket and saw that he received a text message from Emma.

It read: On my lunch break. Can u meet me 4 lunch 3pm?

Jay smiled as he texted Emma back saying yes. He used the bathroom and then headed back to the living room.

"Baby, the boss texted me, I have to stop by the garage to do some paperwork," Jay lied.

"Okay, sweetie," Manny said.

"I'll be back," Jay told her.

He gave Manny a quick kiss, grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. Manny watched the movie for another ten minutes until her cell phone rang. It was Sean.

"Hello?"

"Hey Manny," Sean said.

"Hey baby," Manny said.

"I have Dakota, Ryder and Coral with me," Sean told her."Do you want to hang out with us today?"

"Totally," Manny responded.

"Cool, come meet us at the mall," Sean stated.

"Okay."

"Bye," Sean said.

"Bye," Manny said.

Manny was tempted to tell Sean "I love you", but she had to remember that the kids were with him, so she just hung up. Manny got dressed and went out to her car. When she met Sean and the kids at the mall, they had a blast. Sean and Manny showered the kids with new toys and video games. They also took them to the movies. After the movie was over, Sean and Manny took the kids out for dinner and ice cream.

They were sitting at a table in the restaurant, talking and eating their dessert.

"I had fun today," Dakota said.

"Me too," Ryder and Coral both said.

"That's great; I'm glad you guys had fun," Sean told them.

"Too bad Aunt Emma couldn't come," Ryder said."I would have loved for her to come. She would have had fun."

"Yeah and Uncle Jay," Coral agreed.

"Aunt Emma had to work," Sean told them.

"And Uncle Jay had some things to do today," Manny added.

"Oh."

Dakota rolled her eyes.

Give me a break, Dakota thought. Mom and Jay are probably up to something right now.

The thought of her mother and Jay together made her want to puke. Dakota still couldn't believe she caught them when they were about to kiss each other. She just couldn't get over it. Dakota glanced over at her father and Manny talking and laughing together. She couldn't help but smile.

Daddy and Manny are such good people, Dakota thought. They deserve a lot better than Mom and Jay.

She sighed as she wondered how such "good people" like her father and her godmother ended up with such "conniving liars" like her mother and Jay. She wondered what it would be like if Manny was her mother instead of Emma. Dakota always admired Manny ever since she was a baby. Suddenly, Dakota thought of an idea. She planned to bring her father and Manny together once and for all. The only reason Dakota didn't tell Sean about Emma and Jay yet was because she knew Sean would be heartbroken. Dakota hated to see her father in pain, but in due time, she planned to tell him everything.

After they were finished, Sean paid the bill and Manny left the tip. After Sean dropped Dakota, Ryder and Coral back off at Liberty's house, he and Manny went back out together.

"Did you guys have a good time?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," the kids said.

"Great," Liberty said.

"Uncle Sean and Aunt Manny bought us lots of toys," Coral told her mom.

"Wow, Manny was with you guys too?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," Dakota said.

A confused expression appeared on Liberty's face. The kids went upstairs to play with their new gifts.

What were Manny and Sean doing together? Liberty wondered.

Liberty just shrugged and she headed into the kitchen. She had other things to worry about other than Sean and Manny. Her main concern at the moment was Toby. He should have been back now.

"Where the hell is he?" Liberty wondered."It's seven o clock; he's been gone all day."

Uh-Oh. Drama.


	23. The Best Deception

*This chapter is named after a song by Dashboard Confessional*

Later that night, Emma got home from work at around nine o clock at night. Once again, she noticed that Sean's car wasn't in the garage, so she picked up the phone and called him.

Sean was at the hotel again with Manny. After sex, they were relaxing in the bed, eating ice cream and watching TV. Sean's cell phone rang and he answered it.

"Hello?"

"Sean, where are you?" Emma asked.

"Look Emma, don't question me about where I am," Sean retorted."For the past week, I haven't been questioning you about where you were, so give me the same respect."

"Fine," Emma muttered.

She hung up on Sean and headed upstairs to the bedroom. She changed out of her work uniform and took a quick shower. She put on a stylish blue sweater and a pair of tight jeans. Emma headed out to her car and drove away. She was meeting Jay at an Italian restaurant for dinner. When she arrived there, she greeted Jay with a kiss and the hostess guided them to their table. After ordering their food, they talked as they ate.

"Emma, do you remember when you said we're officially best friends?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Emma said.

"Well, it's completely true," Jay said."You're so much more than just my best friend's wife or my wife's best friend or my new fuck buddy. You are really my best friend now. My connection to you is even deeper than my connection to Sean. And that's really saying a lot because Sean and I have a deep connection. But with you, it's just different."

"Well, that makes me feel really happy," Emma told him.

"I like to make you happy and I like to make you smile," Jay said."You have a smile that just lights up the room."

"Jay, we're way past the flirting and flattering stage," Emma insisted with a chuckle."We made that official last night when we made love."

"I'm not flirting or flattering you," Jay stated."I'm being sincere."

"I can't even begin to tell you how sweet you are," Emma said.

"Are you trying to flatter ME now?" Jay asked.

"No, I'm being sincere," Emma told him."You're really sweet; that's the truth."

"How about a little more sweetness?" Jay offered."Give me a kiss."

Emma and Jay leaned over the table and kissed each other. As Emma sat back down she accidently knocked over her wine glass; some of it spilled onto her purse.

"Damn it," she hissed.

"We have to find the waiter; there's no more napkins on this table," Jay said.

"Okay, well I have to get this off right away," Emma insisted."I'll be back."

"Alright," Jay said.

Emma grabbed her purse and walked away. On her way to the bathroom, something caught her eye. She saw two familiar looking men sitting at a table. One man was holding the other man's hand, rubbing it. When Emma turned around to get a closer look, she gasped in shock.

"Toby and Julian!" Emma exclaimed.

Her loudness drew the attention of some of the other customers at the restaurant. Emma saw Toby sitting at the table with a guy she knew named Julian. Julian was a young, thin effeminate black guy with long hair dyed blond. Emma knew him because he's been a stylist at her mother's hair salon for three years.

"Emma, w-what are you d-doing here?" Toby stuttered.

"No, what are you doing here?" Emma demanded."What the hell do you think you're you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything," Toby insisted.

"Oh really?" Emma snapped.

Jay quickly appeared on the scene.

"Emma, I heard you yelling," Jay said."What's going on?"

"That's what I want to know," Emma retorted.

"Emma, let's not cause a scene," Toby told her."Can we talk about this outside?"

"Yeah, let's go," Emma said, angrily.

Toby and Emma headed outside and stood in front of the restaurant. Emma glared at him.

"Toby, what the hell are you doing?" Emma asked again.

"Julian and I are just friends," Toby replied.

"Toby, don't lie," Emma snapped."I saw him rubbing your hand like he's your boyfriend or something. Last time I checked, you were Liberty's husband, not his. There was something very slick about that picture and I want to know what's going on."

"Julian likes me," Toby admitted."We've been hanging out a lot for about seven months now, but we're not dating. No sex, no kissing. None of that stuff."

"Toby, are you gay?" Emma asked.

"No!" Toby yelled.

"Well Julian is," Emma said."If you're not gay, why have you been spending so much time with him?"

"I'm bisexual," Toby confessed.

Emma gasped and asked."Since when?"

"I've always been," Toby replied."I just never told anyone except Julian."

"Look, I'm not homophobic or anything," Emma stated."But I'm curious, what the hell are you doing with him if you're not sleeping with him?"

"Liberty works too much," Toby explained."She hardly ever has any time for me or the kids. Even when she's not at the firm, she spends all her time on her laptop doing work. That's why she hired a maid."

"So, you think spending time with someone else is the answer?" Emma asked, sternly.

"No, but leaving her might be the answer," Toby replied.

"Toby, you're going to leave Liberty for HIM?!" Emma shrieked.

"I don't want to cheat on her," Toby insisted."That's why I never got intimate with Julian. But he and I clearly have feelings for each other. I'd rather just leave Liberty than to cheat on her."

"You men are so unbelievable!" Emma exclaimed."You are very selfish, Toby."

"What about you?" Toby asked."What are you doing here with Jay?"

"We're not discussing me; we're discussing you," Emma insisted.

"Well, I answered your question," Toby argued."Now answer mine! What are you doing here with Jay?"

"I'm fucking him," Emma stated."Alright?"

Toby's eyes widened with surprise.

"Toby, I really want to cry right now," Emma said, near tears."You are going to break Liberty's heart. Julian works for my mom; Liberty gets her hair done by him sometimes!"

"I know," Toby sighed."Believe me; I feel really terrible because I love Liberty. But I need to discover what else is out there. Liberty and I got together for all the wrong reasons."

"How could you say that?" Emma asked."You and Liberty have two children, you've been married for nine years, you've been together since college and you've been in love with Liberty since high school. So, how could you say you got together for all the wrong reasons?"

"Two words. JT Yorke," Toby stated.

"I don't understand," Emma told him."What does JT have to do with this?"

"JT was my best friend and the love of Liberty's life; you know that," Toby explained."After he died, I think Liberty and I thought we owed it to him to love each other the way we loved him. We were feeling a sense of loss and I believe we got together to make up for that loss. I love Liberty; but I don't know if that was a wise thing to do."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Emma sighed."I'm going back inside; Jay's waiting for me."

Emma turned around to go but Toby stopped her.

"Are you going to tell Liberty?" he asked.

"No, that's your job," Emma insisted."Besides, you know about me and Jay now."

"I'm not going to tell Sean," Toby assured her.

"Great," Emma responded, sharply."You keep my secret and I'll keep yours."

Emma rolled her eyes at Toby and then started to walk away. But Toby stopped her again.

"I know how much pain Sean caused you when he cheated on you," Toby stated."I don't want to do that to Liberty. That is why I'm not going to start dating Julian until I leave her first."

"Goodnight, Toby," Emma snapped, disgusted.

Emma headed back into the restaurant. She sat back down with Jay and explained the entire story to him.

"That's fucked up," Jay commented.


	24. Where I Wanna Be

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL MY READERS AND THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY XXFLYCHICA88XX. HOWEVER, I WONDER WHY SOME OF YOU SEEM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THE STORY TIME I'M GIVING LIBERTY AND TOBY. I MADE IT CLEAR AT THE BEGINIING THAT THEY WERE MAJOR CHARACTERS IN THE STORY. THE MAIN PLOT IS ABOUT SEAN, EMMA, MANNY AND JAY. BUT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DEGRASSI EPISODE, THERE'S ALWAYS A SUBPLOT. LIBERTY AND TOBY'S STORY IS THE SUBPLOT. THE SUBPLOT IS RELEVANT TO THE MAIN PLOT AND IF YOU CONTINUE READING, YOU WILL SEE HOW IT CONNECTS.

{Do I leave? Do I stay? Should I go? I think about my life and what matters to me the most. Girl, the love that we share is real, but in time your heart will heal. I'm not saying I'm gone but I have to find what life is like without you}(Toby's thoughts to Liberty)

*This chapter is named after a song by Donell Jones*

Monday morning arrived and Manny was downstairs in the kitchen, eating breakfast. A few seconds after she finished eating, the phone rang and she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Manny," Liberty said.

"Hey Liberty," Manny said."What's up?"

"I remember you telling me you were going to have today off," Liberty stated."Well, coincidentally, so do me and Emma."

"Wow, YOU have a day off?" Manny asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I actually do," Liberty replied."I talked to Emma already; do you want to hang out with us today?"

"Totally," Manny told her."When?"

"Meet us at the bowling alley in an hour," Liberty said.

"Okay, I'll be there," Manny said.

After hanging up, Manny washed her dishes and headed upstairs to the bedroom. Jay was still in the bed asleep. Manny picked out an outfit and headed to the bathroom. After taking a shower, she got dressed. She walked over to the bed and woke Jay up.

"Baby, I'm going out with Emma and Liberty today," Manny told him."There's some breakfast leftover for you in the kitchen."

"Alright," Jay said, groggily.

"See you later," Manny said.

Manny leaned down and gave Jay a kiss. After Jay went back to sleep, Manny grabbed her coat and headed out the door. She drove to the bowling alley to meet Emma and Liberty.

Emma and Manny felt slightly awkward being around each other since they were both sleeping with each other's husbands behind each other's backs. However, they still had fun that day. First, they bowled for a couple of hours and then they went to see a movie. As they were exiting the theater, they tried to decide on what to do next.

"That movie was so hilarious," Emma said.

"Yeah it was," Manny agreed.

"What should we do next?" Liberty asked.

"It doesn't matter to me," Emma shrugged.

"It's up to you guys," Manny said.

"Let's go to the salon and get some "mannie-peddies"," Liberty suggested.

"Sounds cool," Manny agreed.

"Where?" Emma asked."My mom's salon?"

"Of course," Liberty replied."That's the one we always go to."

"Yeah, I guess," Emma sighed.

"What's the matter?" Liberty asked.

"Nothing," Emma replied.

Liberty wondered why Emma was acting so strange about going to her own mother's salon.

"I hope Julian is there," Liberty said."I might get my hair done while I'm there."

Emma was already feeling awkward being around Manny; she was going to feel even more awkward watching Liberty get her hair styled by Julian, knowing that he and Toby have a crush on each other.

They drove to Spike's Salon and headed inside; Emma was relieved to see that Julian wasn't there. They greeted some of the other workers there. Emma's mom, Christine, was in her office in the back. Emma, Manny and Liberty went back there to say hello and then they came back out. First, they got manicures.

After that, they were all sitting beside each other while three Vietnamese women worked on their feet.

"I'm glad I have today off," Liberty stated."I have a court case tomorrow afternoon though."

"Yeah, you might as well make the best of today," Manny told her.

"I know," Liberty said.

"It's only 3:17PM now," Manny said."What else do you want to do today?"

"Well, after our pedicures are finished, I'm going home," Liberty replied."Today is a rare day off without extra work to do at home. I'm going to spend this time with my family."

"Oh, of course," Manny said."I'm sure your kids miss you."

"Not as much as Toby does," Liberty sighed.

"What do you mean?" Manny asked.

"He's been kind of mad at me lately," Liberty told her."He complains that I work too much."

"Liberty, you're a lawyer," Manny stated."Lawyers work a lot. All you're trying to do is provide for your family; Toby needs to understand that."

"I know, but I should still make time for my husband and kids," Liberty insisted."Emma's a doctor. Doctors work a lot too yet she still manages to make time for Sean and Dakota."

"That's true," Manny said.

"I feel so bad sometimes," Liberty said.

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Manny told her.

"Do you know how long it's been since Toby and I made love?" Liberty stated.

"How long?" Manny asked.

"Four months," Liberty replied.

"Damn!" Manny exclaimed."Jay and I don't always get along, but we make love pretty often. As a matter of fact, when he came home five in the morning from doing his nightshift, he just woke me up and fucked my brains out before he went to sleep. Oh, excuse my language."

"We're all adults here," Liberty said with a shrug.

Emma felt a little jealous at Manny's statement for two reasons. One, because she had feelings for Jay and two, because Sean hasn't touched her in weeks.

"Emma, I know you and Sean have been arguing a lot for a while, but you two still make love, right?" Liberty asked.

"Of course," Emma lied.

Manny felt a little jealous; she was unaware that Emma was lying. Manny and Sean have been making love a lot lately and even though Emma was his wife, Manny couldn't help but feel jealous.

"Tonight should be the perfect opportunity for me and Toby to make love," Liberty said.

"Yeah, you ought to," Manny urged."Four months is a long time to go without having sex with your own husband."

"Come on, Manny, don't rub it in," Emma told her.

"I'm not rubbing it in," Manny insisted."I'm just encouraging her."

"Thanks, Manny," Liberty said.

"Look Liberty, all you have to do is give your maid the day off, cook dinner for your family, watch a movie with them and when it's time for the kids to go to bed, wear some sexy lingerie and get your freak on," Manny advised her.

"Good idea," Liberty agreed.

Emma just sighed and shook her head. She wished she could save Liberty the time and the embarrassment by telling her that Toby planned on leaving her. However, she promised to keep his secret if he kept her secret about Jay. Liberty was heading towards a major heartbreak.

After their pedicures were finished, they left the salon, said goodbye and parted ways. Liberty got in her car and drove away. While she was driving, she called the maid.

"Hello?"

"Hey Gloria," Liberty said."Did you pick the kids up from school?"

"Yes," Gloria replied.

"Well, I'm coming home right now," Liberty told her."I'm going to give you the rest of the day off."

"Okay," Gloria said.

After hanging up with Gloria, Liberty drove home.

Meanwhile, Toby and Julian were having drinks together at a bar. Toby's cell phone rang; it was Liberty.

"Hello?"

"Hi, honey," Liberty said."When are you coming home?"

"I don't know," Toby replied.

"Well, can you get home soon?" Liberty asked."I gave Gloria the rest of the day off. Today is a rare opportunity for you, me and the kids to spend some quality family time together."

"Um, okay," Toby stated."I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay," Liberty said.

Toby hung up the phone and saw Julian glaring at him.

"What's the matter with you?" Toby asked.

"I can't believe you're ditching me for her," Julian retorted.

"Come on, don't act like this," Toby groaned.

"How do you expect me to act?!" Julian exclaimed."You know how I feel about you and I've been too patient. When are you going to leave that bitch? Give me an exact date!"

"Julian, don't call my wife a bitch," Toby snapped.

"I'm sorry but I can't stand her," Julian stated.

"I thought she was your friend," Toby said."You're her favorite hair stylist at Spike's Salon."

"She is NOT my friend," Julian insisted."She's a prissy, smart-ass wench and she thinks she knows everything. If she didn't pay me such good tips, I wouldn't touch her hair."

"Julian, you are unbelievable," Toby scoffed.

"You told me you were going to leave her, Toby!" Julian whined."Were you lying to me?"

"No, I was not lying," Toby responded."I'm not going home for her; I'm going home for our kids. Can you at least respect that?"

"Fine," Julian sighed.

Toby said goodbye and then left the bar. He went out to the parking lot, got in his car and drove. He arrived home less than twenty minutes later. When he entered the house, Liberty greeted him.

"Hey, honey," Liberty said.

"Hey," Toby said.

They kissed each other lightly.

"How was work?" Liberty asked.

"It was alright," Toby replied.

"That's good," Liberty said."I'm going to get dinner started."

"Okay," Toby said.

While Toby went upstairs to shower and change into some house clothes, Liberty headed to kitchen to prepare dinner. She cooked some delicious steak, yellow rice, spinach and cornbread. When it was finished, she called Toby and the kids down to eat. Although the meal was scrumptious, Toby was too upset to taste anything. He knew that he was going to leave Liberty soon, but he didn't know how to break the news to her.

After they finished eating, Liberty, Toby and the kids watched a family film in the living room. The movie finished a little after 8:00PM, the twins' bedtime. After they put the twins to bed, they headed upstairs to their bedroom. They were sitting on their bed watching TV when Liberty's cell phone rang. It was her secretary from the firm. Liberty took the call and spoke to her for about two hours.

"This is exactly why I'm leaving her," Toby mumbled.

Finally, Liberty hung up with her secretary and headed to the bathroom. She took a shower and wrapped a robe around her. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"I hope he likes this," Liberty said.

She headed back to the bedroom. The light was off and Toby was lying down in the bed. Liberty turned the light on and called his name. Toby woke up, squinting in the brightness.

"Honey, don't go to sleep yet," Liberty told him.

"Liberty, I'm tired," Toby insisted.

"I have a surprise for you," Liberty said.

Liberty dropped her robe to the floor, revealing a red bra and thong from Victoria's Secret. However, Toby was not in the mood to make love.

"Liberty, I don't feel like having sex right now," Toby told her."I'm not in the mood."

"How can you possibly not be in the mood?" Liberty asked."We haven't made love in months. Every time you asked me to make love, I was either too tired or too busy. Now, I'm giving you the opportunity. I have a long, busy few weeks ahead of me and I have no idea when I'm ever going to have time to do this again. So, why don't you just take advantage of this opportunity tonight?"

"That's the problem," Toby stated."You never have time for anything."

"I'm trying to give you time now," Liberty argued.

"Liberty, sit down," Toby told her."We have to talk."

Liberty nervously put her robe back on and then took a seat beside Toby on the bed. Toby painfully explained to her that that the lack of time she has been giving to him lately is making his feelings change for her. He told her that he loves her, but he has been lusting for other people as a result of her being so busy all the time. Toby told Liberty that he wants to leave her because he'd rather not cheat on her. However, what Toby did not mention, was that he has feelings for Julian.

Liberty didn't know how to react, she just sad there quiet and heartbroken. Toby placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Just leave me alone, Toby," Liberty told him.

"Liberty, I'm sorry," Toby said."You know I love you."

"What are you going to say to our son and our daughter?" Liberty asked, angrily.

Toby couldn't answer that question.

Liberty pulled away from him and left out of the bedroom. Toby tried not to cry; hurting Liberty broke his heart too, but he felt that he was doing the right thing.

At Sean and Emma's house, Sean and Emma were in the bed asleep. The phone rang, waking both of them up. Sean was aggravated as he answered the phone.

"Hello?" he snapped.

"Sean, I'm sorry for waking you up," Liberty sobbed."Is Emma there?"

"Yeah, hold on," Sean said, concerned.

Sean passed the phone to Emma.

"Hello?" Emma yawned.

"Hey Emma," Liberty wept.

"Hey Liberty," Emma responded."What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Toby's leaving me," Liberty broke down.

"Oh my God," Emma gasped."Why?"

Liberty explained the whole story to Emma. Emma felt terrible listening to Liberty cry. She wanted to tell her that she knew that Toby was leaving her. She also wanted to tell her about Julian, but she couldn't. For the next half hour, Emma tried her best to comfort Liberty. When they finished talking, Emma hung up and sighed.

"Why was she crying?" Sean asked."Is everything okay?"

"None of your damn business!" Emma snapped.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Sean asked, angrily.

"Men!" Emma shrieked."That's my problem!"

"Look, I don't know what's going on," Sean growled."But you better watch your mouth."

"Go straight to hell, Sean," Emma mumbled, quietly.

"What?!" Sean snapped.

"Nothing," Emma replied, sharply.

"I didn't think so," Sean stated.

Emma turned over onto her side and shut her eyes. Sean lied back on the bed and glared at Emma.

God, please restrain me from slapping the hell out of this woman, Sean thought.


	25. I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight

{I just died in your arms tonight; it must have been something you said. I just died in your arms tonight; it must have been some kind of kiss. I should've walked away}(Sean's thoughts to Manny).

*This chapter is named after a song by Cutting Crew*

Several weeks passed by. Sean and Emma were hardly speaking together and they were still sleeping with Jay and Manny behind each other's backs. Jay and Manny were getting along well though. Being that Jay worked the nightshift anyway, it was easy for them both to cheat on each other without the other noticing. Toby eventually moved in with Julian and they made their relationship official. Liberty was still unaware that Julian was part of the reason Toby left her, but she was still willing to be Toby's friend and hold on to hope that they'll work it out.

When Thanksgiving arrived, Sean and Dakota spent it with Sean's family in Wasaga Beach. Emma had Thanksgiving with her mother, her stepfather and her brother, Jack, who came home from college for the holidays. Manny and Jay spent Thanksgiving with Manny's parents, her older brother, her brother's wife and her two nephews. Liberty spent the holidays with her family and Toby spent it with his.

A month later, Christmas Eve arrived and it was snowing outside. Dakota was in her bedroom watching TV. Emma was in her bedroom on the bed, reading a novel. Sean was in the master bathroom taking a shower.

Emma was feeling the holiday spirit and she didn't want to waste it by being angry with her husband. So, Emma put her book away and walked into the master bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Emma walked towards the shower and pulled back the shower's sliding glass door. Sean pretended not to hear her, so he didn't turn around. Emma looked at her husband up and down with lust. He was thirty five years old yet his face was still young looking and handsome and his body was still well-sculpted and muscular.

Emma stepped into the shower with her nightgown on and shut the glass door behind her. She put shower gel onto her hands and started rubbing it all over Sean's back. Sean didn't resist; he let Emma access the places he couldn't reach well. He turned around to face her and they looked into each other's eyes. The water poured over Sean's head and down his naked body. Emma put her arms around him and started kissing his neck, shoulders and chest. Sean lifted Emma's chin up and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

They kissed each other passionately for the first time in weeks. Sean lifted Emma's soaking wet nightgown off and removed it. They made love in the shower until the water got cold. They turned the water off and made their way into their bedroom. They continued to make love on the bed. While Sean was on top, Emma cried blissfully and held him.

"Sean, it feels so good," she moaned.

"I love you, Emma," Sean told her.

"I love you, too," Emma responded.

When they finished, they fell asleep. Making love to each other reminded them just how much they meant to each other. They both thought about putting an end to the affairs they were having. However, they wondered what they were going to say to Jay and Manny. Emma was especially nervous; she didn't want to hurt Jay, but she felt that it was time for them to stop sleeping with each other before Sean finds out. Sean was thinking the same exact thing about Manny. If Emma finds out that he's sleeping with Manny AGAIN, their marriage would be history.

The next morning arrived; it was Christmas Day. Sean and Emma woke up. They said good morning, gave each other a kiss and got out of the bed. After they got dressed, they woke Dakota up and they all headed downstairs to the den. There were loads of gifts under their big, beautiful, well-decorated Christmas tree. As always, Dakota opened her gifts first and she was very overjoyed with what she had.

"Thanks Mom and Dad," she said.

"You're welcome," Emma and Sean said.

Dakota gave her father a hug and a kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy," Dakota said.

"Merry Christmas, baby," Sean said.

After Dakota let her father go, she headed towards Emma and gave her a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," Dakota told her.

"Merry Christmas, sweetie," Emma said."I love you."

"I love you too," Dakota responded.

"Aw, look at my princess and my queen being so affectionate," Sean commented with a smile.

Dakota and Emma stopped hugging and smiled at each other. Sean put his arm around Emma and gave her a loving kiss.

"I'm glad you guys are getting along again," Dakota told them.

"Me too," Emma agreed.

"Me three," Sean added.

Maybe I was wrong about Mom and Jay, Dakota thought. She really does love Dad.

A couple hours later, Manny and Jay came over to exchange gifts. They both brought gifts for Emma, Sean and Dakota and received gifts from them in return. The day was too happy and special for any of them to feel awkward about cheating on each other. None of them knew that they were being cheated on, so they were able to relax and enjoy themselves. They spend the day watching TV, baking cookies, drinking hot chocolate, talking and laughing together. After eating a Christmas dinner together, Manny and Jay said goodnight and headed back home.

Jay pulled up in the driveway a little after seven o clock; it had stopped snowing. He unfastened his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. He walked around to the other side and opened the passenger's door for Manny. Manny quickly leaned over and vomited into the snow.

"Oh shit," Jay gasped."Baby, you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I ate too much," Manny said.

"Okay, I'll make you some tea," Jay told her.

Manny stepped out of the car as Jay locked the doors. They headed into the house and removed their snowy boots at the door. Manny relaxed in the living room while Jay was in the kitchen fixing some tea. Manny's vomiting had nothing to do with how much food she ate. She had the feeling she was pregnant.

When the tea was ready, Jay came into the living room and carefully handed it to Manny.

"Thank you, honey," Manny said.

"You're welcome," Jay responded."I'm going to go buy some salt for that snow and then I'll shovel when I get back."

"Okay," Manny said.

Jay gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I hope you feel better," he told her.

Jay headed out the door; Manny heard him drive away. She drank some of her tea and then headed upstairs to the bedroom. Manny changed into some pajamas and opened up her purse. She pulled out a pregnancy test she bought two days ago. Taking a deep breath, she headed into the bathroom and took the test. Minutes later, the results proved positive pregnancy.

"Oh my God," Manny groaned.

The first thing she did was picked up the phone and dialed Sean's cell number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sean," Manny said.

"Hey," Sean said.

"What are you doing?" Manny asked.

"I'm outside shoveling snow," Sean replied.

"Oh really?" Manny said."Jay went out to the store; he's going to shovel too when he gets back."

"It's a lot of snow and it's a pain in the ass," Sean commented.

"Yeah," Manny sighed.

"Well, my hands are kind of full right now," Sean told her."Can I call you later?"

"Actually, it's sort of important," Manny insisted.

"What's up?" Sean asked.

Manny took a deep breath and told him."I'm pregnant."

"Are you fucking serious?!" Sean exclaimed."When did you find out?"

"A few minutes ago," Manny replied.

"I can't believe this shit," Sean cursed.

"Sean, can you please not react like that?" Manny asked."I need you to be supportive. This is hard for me too; I don't know what the hell I'm going to tell Jay."

"And I don't know what the hell I'm going to tell Emma," Sean stated.

"I have to see a doctor to confirm it," Manny told him.

"Manny, you have to get rid of it," Sean told her.

"What?!" Manny exclaimed."Sean, I am not aborting my child."

"So, what are you going to do?" Sean demanded."You're going to screw up both our marriages again?"

"Look Sean, don't start blaming it all on me again," Manny snapped."If Emma and Jay finds out we're sleeping together again, it would be both our faults, not just mine. So, I don't appreciate you saying that I'm the one who's going to screw up our marriages. The bottom line is, I'm pregnant and there's a possibility that it's yours."

"A possibility?" Sean asked."So, that means you're still having sex with Jay."

"Of course I am," Manny told him."He's my husband."

"Well, if you're keeping this baby, I really hope it's not mine," Sean told her."I care about you, Manny, but we do not need to bring a child into this affair. So, I really hope its Jay's."

"On one hand, I do want it to be Jay's because he's my husband and he really wants to be a father," Manny said."On the other hand, I want it to be yours because I really love you."

"I love you too, Manny," Sean said."But I still love Emma. We made up last night and it made me do some serious thinking."

"About what?" Manny asked.

"That maybe you and I should stop seeing each other," Sean told her.

"Here we go again," Manny muttered, angrily.

"Manny, why don't you just listen for once?" Sean stated."Emma is my wife and we have a daughter who needs the both of us. Do you know how happy Dakota was to see me and Emma getting along again?"

"So, now that you and Emma are getting along again, you're ready to toss me aside like a piece of trash?" Manny snapped.

"It's not like that, Manny," Sean insisted.

"That's what it seems like to me," Manny snarled."You used me. While you and Emma were fighting and not getting along, you came to me and I was there for you. Why would you use me like that when you know how much I love you?"

"I didn't use you," Sean replied.

"Yes you did," Manny argued.

"Manny, why do you want to keep having this affair anyway?" Sean asked."You're pregnant and it's possibly Jay's. You can give him that baby he wanted for years. I'll always love you, Manny, but where we are now is where we need to be. I need to be here with my wife and my daughter; you need to be there with your husband and the seed you're carrying."

"You know what, Sean?" Manny sighed."It really doesn't matter. I'm probably going to lose it anyway."

"Why do you think you're going to lose it?" Sean asked.

"Because I always miscarry," Manny replied in a shaky voice."I don't think my body's made to bear children."

Sean felt bad; he didn't know how to respond. Manny started to cry over the phone.

"Manny, don't cry," Sean told her, softly."I'm sorry."

"No, Sean, you were right about everything," Manny sobbed.

"We need to talk about this some more….in person," Sean insisted."Can I come see you tomorrow?"

"Yes," Manny replied, tearfully.

"Alright, I'll see you then," Sean told her.

After hanging up with Manny, Sean continued shoveling the snow. He was glad that he and Emma were getting along again, but he did not want to desert Manny at a serious time like this. If the baby she's carrying survives and if it's his, he would just have to be a man and deal with it.


	26. Why Does

{Why does the rain fall? Why does the sun shine? Why does the rain fall down on my face? Why does the earth spin? Why do the waters reach the shore? And tell me, tell me why? Why do I love you like I do?}(Jay's thoughts to Emma)

*This chapter is named after a song by 112*

The next day, Emma headed out the door to go to work. Dakota was sleeping peacefully and enjoying her Christmas vacation. Sean had the day off that day. He was concerned about Manny; he was still in shock at the revelation of her pregnancy. Sean woke up and cooked breakfast. After waking Dakota up, the two of them ate breakfast together. After he was finished, he picked up the phone and dialed Manny's cell.

"Hello?"

"Hey Manny," Sean said.

"Hey," Manny said.

"How are you feeling?" Sean asked.

"A little queasy, but I'm fine," Manny replied."Do you still want to see me today?"

"Of course," Sean said.

"Well, Jay is going over Towerz's house today and I'm going to visit my parents," Manny told him."There's a vacant apartment in their building and it has a bed in it. We can meet there."

"Oh really?" Sean asked."We definitely could have saved a lot of money by hooking up there instead of the hotel all those times."

"Yeah, well if my parents would have seen you around, they would've gotten suspicious," Manny insisted.

"Oh yeah, that's true," Sean said.

"I'm going to have to sneak you in," Manny told him.

"Okay," Sean said.

"So, I'll call you later," Manny stated.

"Alright."

"Bye."

"Bye."

After Sean hung up with Manny, he spent the rest of the morning talking to Dakota and watching TV with her.

Meanwhile, Manny was at her parents' house, spending time with them. She stayed from ten o clock in the morning until two o clock in the afternoon. She didn't tell them she was pregnant though. After she left her parents' apartment, she stood downstairs in the lobby of the building. She took out her cell phone and called Sean. Sean answered after four rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sean," Manny said."You remember where my parents live, right?"

"Yeah," Sean replied.

"You can come meet me now," Manny told him.

"Alright," Sean said."I'll find someone to look after Dakota."

"Cool, I'll see you later," Manny said.

After hanging up, Manny headed over to the vacant apartment and walked inside. Her parents owned the building and that was the only empty apartment in it. There was a bed in there though.

Sean dialed Liberty's house number and the maid, Gloria, answered the phone.

"Van Zandt residence?"

"Hi, is Liberty available?" Sean asked.

"No, I'm sorry, sir," Gloria replied."She's at work. May I ask whose calling?"

"This is Sean, Dakota's dad," Sean told her.

"Oh yes, Mr. Cameron," Gloria realized."How are you?"

"I'm good; thanks for asking," Sean said.

"Okay, I'll be sure to tell Liberty you called," Gloria assured him.

"Thanks a lot," Sean said.

"You're welcome, Mr. Cameron," Gloria said."Bye."

When Sean hung up with Gloria, he tried to call Liberty's cell, but her voicemail immediately picked up. Instead of leaving a message, Sean decided to call the law firm that Liberty worked at. The secretary gave Sean the extension to Liberty's office and transferred his call to her.

"Liberty Van Zandt's office?" Liberty answered.

"Hey Liberty, it's Sean," Sean said.

"Oh, hey Sean," Liberty said."Had a good Christmas?"

"Yeah, I did," Sean told her."You?"

"I did too," Liberty said.

"I need a favor," Sean stated.

"What's up?" Liberty asked.

"I have a few errands to run today," Sean said."Do you mind if I drop Dakota off at your house with the maid?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Liberty replied.

"Great," Sean said."I actually spoke to the maid a few seconds ago. But I didn't want to just take Dakota over there without letting you know."

"Yeah, I understand," Liberty said.

"Okay, great," Sean said."By the way, whatever happened between you and Toby; I hope you guys can work it out."

"Thanks, Sean," Liberty said.

"No problem," Sean said."Take it easy."

After Sean hung up with Liberty, he called Dakota's name. Dakota headed to the living room to see what Sean wanted.

"Yes Daddy?" Dakota asked.

"Go get dressed," Sean told her."I have to go somewhere. I'm going to take you to Liberty's so you can hang out with Ryder and Coral for a little bit."

"Okay, Dad," Dakota said.

Dakota headed to her room and got dressed. A few minutes later, she and her father went out to the car. Sean drove Dakota to Liberty's house and dropped her off with Gloria, Ryder and Coral. After that, he called Manny and let her know that he was on his way. A few minutes later, he arrived there and Manny let him inside the apartment.

"Hey baby," Sean said.

"Hey," Manny said.

Sean kissed her and gave her a firm hug.

"Are you okay?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Manny replied.

Manny led Sean to a bedroom. They took their shoes off and lied down on the bed. Manny rested her head on Sean's chest as he wrapped his arms around her, securely.

"Manny, I'm really sorry for how I reacted yesterday," Sean said.

"I understand," Manny told him.

"I still hope the baby is Jay's, but if it's not, I'm going to take care of you," Sean assured her.

"Thank you," Manny said.

"Have you told Jay yet?" Sean asked.

"No," Manny responded."If I tell him, he's going be really excited. But what if the baby isn't his? What if the baby comes out looking nothing like him?"

"Well, you'll have to tell him eventually," Sean told her.

"I know," Manny sighed."I'm just really scared."

"Me too," Sean admitted."Emma is going furious."

"I feel so terrible," Manny said.

"I don't want you to stress yourself out, okay?" Sean stated.

"Okay," Manny said.

"Whatever we have to go through, we'll go through it together," Sean told her.

Sean kissed Manny softly on her lips.

"I love you," Sean said.

"I love you too," Manny said.

They kissed each other tenderly and passionately for a few minutes. They didn't make love; instead, they just held each other tightly and drifted off to sleep. They knew that their affair couldn't be a secret for very long since Manny was pregnant and the baby was possibly Sean's. They slept for about three hours. At around six o clock that evening, Manny's cell phone rang. She and Sean both woke up; Manny answered her cell.

"Hello?"

"Baby, are you still at your parents' house?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, I am," Manny told him.

"Okay, I'm just leaving Towerz's house," Jay said."I'm going to stop at home and get ready for work. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay," Manny said.

"I love you," Jay told her.

"I love you too," Manny said.

After hanging up with Jay, she rested her head back on Sean's chest. They were silent for a few minutes until Manny spoke up.

"Baby, I'm hungry," she said.

"Okay, I'll take you out to eat," Sean asked.

They got out of the bed and put their shoes back on. They left out of the apartment and exited the building. On their way out, Manny glanced around to make sure her parents didn't see them together. They made their way to their cars and drove off. Sean and Manny went to a Portuguese restaurant and had dinner together.

When they were finished, they kissed each other goodbye and parted ways. Manny drove home; Sean drove to Liberty's to pick up Dakota. After he got Dakota, they headed back home. It was a little after 7:30PM.

At 9:00PM, Emma finished working and she headed to the locker room to change out of her doctor's uniform.

She put on a sweater, jeans and boots. She grabbed her coat and exited the animal clinic. She got in her car and drove off. While she was driving, her cell phone rang. She put on her earpiece and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Emma," Jay said."How was work?"

"It was good," Emma said."How's work going for you?"

"Good," Jay replied."Did you eat yet?"

"Not since earlier," Emma told him.

"Do you want to meet me for dinner tonight?" Jay asked.

"Sure," Emma said.

"Cool, just stop by the garage and I'll go on my break," Jay told her.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few," Emma said.

After hanging up with Jay, it took her less than thirty minutes to arrive at the auto-repair garage. When Jay saw her, he told his boss he was going to take a break. He and Emma went to a 24-hour diner around the corner and ordered some food. While they were eating, they spent a while just talking to each other about work, until Jay brought up a more profound topic.

"When Manny and I came over yesterday to spend Christmas with you guys, I couldn't help but notice how well you and Sean were getting along," Jay stated.

"Why should Sean and I keep fighting?" Emma asked.

"It's not that I want you guys to keep fighting," Jay replied."I'm just curious about something."

"What?" Emma asked.

"Were you guys just getting along for the sake of the holidays or did you make up?" Jay asked her.

"We made up," Emma told him."Sean and I are still married and we still love each other."

Jay sat quietly for a few seconds.

"Why do you look so disappointed?" Emma asked.

"I'm not disappointed," Jay insisted."I'm happy for you."

"Jay, be honest," Emma said.

"I am being honest," Jay told her.

"You and I built our relationship on openness and honesty," Emma stated."So, I want to know what's on your mind."

"This might sound crazy…..but I love you," Jay confessed.

Emma looked at him; her eyes filled with surprise.

"Do you feel the same?" Jay asked.

"My heart says I do," Emma replied, softly."But my mind is telling me that we shouldn't say those three words to each other yet. Things are just really complicated right now."

"I know," Jay said."Things are complicated because you're married to Sean, I'm married to Manny and we're doing the same exact thing they did to us four years ago. But like I said before, it's not about them; it's about us. You asked me what was on my mind and I told you. It's not only on my mind; it's on my heart too."

"I appreciate your honesty," Emma told him.

"Thanks, Emma," Jay said."I don't want to pressure you. I'll let you tell me you love me when you're ready."

"Okay," Emma said.

They leaned towards each other and kissed passionately.


	27. Fight Music

*This chapter is named after a song by Tupac Shakur*

(THIS IS THE CHAPTER WHERE ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE)

The rest of Christmas vacation passed by and New Year's 2024 pulled in. Sean and Emma were still getting along but they continued to sleep with Manny and Jay behind each other's backs. The day after New Year's, Sean accompanied Manny to the doctor's where it was confirmed that she was without a doubt, pregnant. She was six weeks pregnant; the doctor told her she was due in August. She still didn't tell Jay.

The middle of January arrived and Liberty was planning to celebrate her thirty-fourth birthday. She got a call from her younger brother, Danny. He is now a successful banker and he's married to his high school sweetheart, Leia, and they have a six year old son. They lived in Florida and he called Liberty to ask her if he can take Ryder and Coral with his family to the Bahamas for two weeks. Liberty was a little reluctant at first since the twins would be missing her birthday, but she agreed to let them go since they haven't seen their Uncle Danny, Aunt Leia and cousin in a while.

Emma had the day off that Saturday. She was at home with Dakota while Sean was at work. Jay called Emma's cell phone sometime in the afternoon. When he didn't get answer, he called the house number.

"Hello?" Emma answered.

"Hey boo," Jay said.

"Hey," Emma said."What's up?"

"Nothing much," Jay replied."I'm just thinking about you as usual."

"Aw, I feel so special," Emma said.

Dakota headed downstairs to the living room. She wanted to call her friend, Tammy, from school, but she was unaware that Emma was already on the phone upstairs. As soon as Dakota picked up the phone she heard Jay's voice.

"So, where do you want to sneak off to after Liberty's party tonight?" Jay asked.

"It's up to you, sweetie," Emma replied, seductively.

"Well, wherever we go, we're going to have fun as always," Jay assured her.

"I know," Emma said.

"So, what are you going to wear tonight?" Jay asked.

"It doesn't matter because by the time the night is over for us, I won't be wearing anything," Emma insisted.

"Ooh, that sounds sexy," Jay commented.

Disgusted, Dakota hung up the phone. She's heard enough.

"That evil witch IS having an affair with Jay," Dakota snarled, angrily."It was so stupid of me to think I can trust her again. That's it. She is NOT going to keep doing this to my father; it's time for her to be exposed."

Dakota took a deep breath and then picked up the phone again. Emma and Jay were still talking.

"By the way, I hope Toby isn't dumb enough to bring Julian to Liberty's party," Emma stated.

"Well, isn't Julian Liberty's friend too?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, but Liberty has no clue that he's the reason why Toby left her," Emma told him."She thinks he left her because she's too committed to her career."

"Damn," Jay said.

"I'm going to be really pissed if he brings Julian with him," Emma continued."Liberty is going to hate me if she finds out that I knew the real reason why Toby left her. I promised Toby I'd keep it a secret because he knows about me and you."

Dakota hung up the phone again.

"Oh my God," Dakota gasped."Toby left Liberty for a man? And Mom knew about it? Is she talking about the same Julian from Grandma's salon?"

Dakota smiled wickedly as she looked forward to her evil plan tonight. Not only was she going to destroy her mother's marriage to her father, she was also going to destroy her friendship with Liberty.

A few minutes later after Emma got off the phone with Jay she came downstairs into the living room.

"Hey sweetie," Emma said.

"Hey," Dakota said, with a fake smile.

"Do you want to come with me to walk the dogs?" Emma asked.

"Sure," Dakota replied.

Dakota grabbed her coat and she followed Emma out the door. She pretended to be nice as they walked the dogs for twenty minutes or so. Dakota didn't want Emma to recognize that she was furious with her at the moment. After they finished walking the dogs, they headed back into the house. At around five o clock that evening, Sean came home from work. He went upstairs, took a shower and dressed himself in an outfit he picked out for Liberty's birthday party.

The party started at seven o clock that night at Liberty's house. Sean, Emma, Dakota, Jay, Manny, Toby and several other guests were there. The maid, Gloria, was there too. However, she was there as a guest instead of as a maid and she brought her husband and her son with her. Toby's older stepsister, Ashley Kerwin, was also there. She came up to Toronto to visit for a few days. She is now a college music professor and she lived in Massachusetts with her husband, Travis, and their two year old daughter, Sasha. Her mother and Toby's father was babysitting Sasha while Ashley attended Liberty's party.

Everyone was having a good time, talking, dancing and eating. Toby was standing in the living room chatting with Ashley and Travis.

"So, where are my niece and nephew?" Ashley asked.

"Liberty's brother took them to the Bahamas with his wife and his son," Toby replied.

"Wow, the Bahamas?" Travis asked.

"Yeah," Toby said.

"Ashley and I wanted to go to the Bahamas for our honeymoon," Travis stated."But we decided on Puerto-Rico instead."

"Cool," Toby said.

Emma walked over towards them and tapped Toby on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, guys," Emma said."Can I talk to Toby for a second?"

"Sure," Ashley and Travis said.

Emma pulled Toby to the side and glared at him. The music was loud enough to conceal their conversation from any eavesdroppers.

"Toby, what is he doing here?" Emma demanded.

"Who?" Toby asked.

"You know who I'm talking about," Emma snapped.

"No, I don't," Toby insisted.

Emma pointed in Julian's direction. He was sitting on the couch chatting with three other guests.

"Oh damn it," Toby groaned."I told him not to come. Maybe Liberty invited him."

"Well, you need to tell him to leave," Emma insisted.

"I don't feel like hearing his mouth right now," Toby said.

"So what?!" Emma exclaimed."He stole you from Liberty and he has the audacity to show up to her party pretending to be her friend."

Julian glared over at Toby and Emma; he had a funny feeling they were talking about him. So, he stood up and walked over towards them.

"Is there a problem, Emma?!" Julian snapped.

"Yes and you know exactly what it is!" Emma exclaimed.

"Why don't you mind your own goddamn business for a change," Julian retorted.

"Whatever," Emma muttered."I don't have time for this bullshit. I'm finished here."

Emma angrily walked away and headed over to where Jay was standing.

"Toby, I am sick of that nosy bitch," Julian told him."If her mother wasn't my boss, I would kick her ass."

"Julian, just calm down," Toby told him.

"Okay, baby," Julian said.

Julian put his arms around Toby's neck, but Toby pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Julian asked.

"We are in my wife's house and this is her birthday party," Toby stated."I still haven't told her about us yet."

"Why not?" Julian demanded, angrily.

"Because I'm not ready to," Toby replied.

"Toby, you make me feel like you're ashamed of me," Julian whined."I'm sick of being kept a secret."

"Julian, I—" Toby started to say.

Julian cut him off by grabbing him and forcing his lips against his. Toby was surprised as Julian kissed him in front of everyone. The whole party was in shock as they witnessed the hostess's husband being kissed by another man in her living room! Emma, Jay and Dakota were all especially shocked. Someone turned off the music.

Suddenly, Liberty stepped into the living room.

"What happened to the mu—" she started to say.

Liberty was completely appalled at the sight of Julian burying his tongue down Toby's throat. When Julian released Toby, he turned to Liberty with a wicked grin on his face.

"Toby is mine now, Liberty!" he declared."Get the hell over it!"

"Toby, you son of a bitch!" Liberty screamed.

Without warning, Liberty ran towards Toby and started slapping him and punching him furiously. Toby lowered his head and tried to shield himself from Liberty's attack. Julian grabbed Liberty and shoved her away from Toby.

"Bitch, keep your hands off of my man!" Julian shrieked.

Liberty cocked her hand back and slapped Julian across the face.

"Oh hell no!" Julian yelled.

Julian attempted to attack Liberty but Ashley and Travis quickly intervened and held him back.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Ashley snarled, threateningly.

Liberty started pounding on Toby again. While Travis held Julian back, Ashley grabbed Liberty and pulled her away from Toby. She pinned Liberty against a wall, not to hurt her, but to calm her down. Liberty frantically tried to break free, but Ashley held her firmly.

"Liberty, calm down!" Ashley exclaimed.

Suddenly, Sean and Manny entered the living room with bewildered expressions on their faces.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" Sean exclaimed.

Dakota had to yell over the loudness of the crowd. "Liberty caught Toby kissing that man from Grandma's salon and Mom knew that they've been seeing each other all along!"

Emma was shocked; she couldn't believe her own daughter just sold her out. The guests lowered their voices. Ashley slowly released her grip on Liberty's arms and stepped back. Liberty glared at Emma with extreme anger.

"You knew about this, Emma?" Liberty asked, heatedly."And you didn't tell me?"

Emma was at lost for words.

"Yeah, she knew about me and Toby all along," Julian stated, with a devilish grin."She found out about us when she was on her date with Jay."

"Excuse me?!" Manny exclaimed, angrily.

"I am going to fucking kill you!" Jay shouted at Julian.

Sean was furious; his face was boiling with rage.

"Julian, get the fuck out now!" Toby screamed.

"Toby, it doesn't matter anymore," Julian insisted."You're with me now."

"I said get out!" Toby yelled.

"You know what?" Julian cried."Fuck you, Toby!"

Jay stomped over towards Julian and grabbed him by the hair. Julian screamed and cursed as Jay dragged him towards the front door and shoved him out of the house. Jay headed back into the living room.

"Emma, why didn't you tell me?" Liberty yelled.

"Liberty, I'm so sorry," Emma told her, tearfully.

"Don't ever speak to me again!" Liberty shrieked."Everyone get the fuck out of my house!"

The guests quickly and obediently headed out of the house. Liberty cried as she dashed out of the living room and ran upstairs. Concerned, Ashley and Travis went after her. Jay made his way towards the front door to leave.

"Hey Jay, get back here!" Sean shouted."I wanna talk to you!"

Sean and Manny followed Jay out the door. Emma angrily shoved Toby.

"This is all your fucking fault!" Emma screamed.

"No it's not!" Toby argued.

While Emma and Toby stayed in the living room arguing with each other, Sean and Manny followed Jay outside.

Oh my God, Dakota thought. Dad is going to kill Jay. This I have to see.

Dakota hurried outside to the front yard. She saw Sean and Manny walking behind Jay.

"Jay, stop right there, be a man and face me!" Sean yelled.

Jay turned around and said."What do you want?"

"Was that queer lying or are you really fucking Emma?" Sean demanded.

"Are you questioning my loyalty?" Jay asked, with a grin."You believe Julian's word over mine?"

"No, that's why I'm asking you," Sean replied, sharply.

"So, you want to know if I'm screwing your wife the way you screwed my wife four years ago?" Jay smirked.

"Jay, do not fuck with me!" Manny snarled."Just answer his question. Are you fucking Emma?"

"You're damn right I am," Jay replied, brashly.

Sean was tempted to knock Jay down right there, but he realized that Dakota was standing right there. Sean removed his house keys from his pocket and handed them to Manny.

"Manny, take Dakota home," Sean told her.

"Sean, don't do anything stupid," Manny said.

"Just take her home!" Sean yelled.

"Okay, okay," Manny responded."Dakota, let's go."

Dakota was disappointed that she was going to miss out on the action. She followed Manny to her car and they drove away.

The party guests gathered around Sean and Jay as they stood face to face. Suddenly, Emma, Toby, Ashley and Travis came outside. Emma and Toby pushed through the crowd to get to Sean and Jay.

"I'm going to kick your sorry motherfucking ass," Sean growled.

"Try it," Jay challenged him.

Sean was about to hit him but Emma quickly stood in between them.

"No, you guys are not going to fight!" Emma wailed.

"Get the fuck out of my way, Emma," Sean snapped.

"Where is Dakota?" Emma demanded.

"Manny took her home," Sean retorted."Now get out of my way!"

Toby grabbed Emma and pulled her away from Sean and Jay.

"Emma, just stand back," Toby told her.

"Aw, Sean is so cute when he gets mad," Jay teased him.

The crowd laughed as Jay blew Sean a kiss, taunting him. In a rage, Sean balled up a fist and punched Jay in the face. All of a sudden, they started fighting. They punched, choked and wrestled brutally with each other in the snow. The crowd was going wild as Emma screamed for them to stop. She tried to run towards them to break it up, but Toby held her back.

"Get off of me, Toby!" Emma cried."I don't want them to fight!"

"Emma, you're going to get hurt!" Toby exclaimed."Just calm down!"

Sean and Jay kept fighting. The brawl was fierce and bloody; they fought like royal gladiators. A fretful neighbor called the police. A few minutes later, the cops came and separated the fight, getting hit in the process. As a result, Sean and Jay were both arrested.

Despite all the commotion going on outside her house, Liberty stayed locked in her bedroom. She was laying face down on her bed, crying her eyes out into her pillow. This has been the worst birthday she has ever had since JT's death.


	28. Pieces

{I tried to be perfect, but nothing was worth it. I don't believe it makes me real. I thought it'd be easy, but no one believes me. I meant all the things I said.}(Sean's thoughts to Emma)

*This chapter is named after a song by Sum 41*

After the police arrested Sean and Jay, they were treated for the blemishes they sustained from the fight. Sean had a black eye and a bloody cut near his brow. Jay's nose and lips were bleeding. They were subsequently taken to jail and they were placed several cells apart. The animosity and hate between the two were very intense.

Sean lied back on the cot bed feeling hurt and furious. For a while, he's been suspecting Emma of cheating and even though he restarted his affair with Manny, he had no clue that Emma's secret lover was Jay. Sean felt that he has been trying to be a better husband ever since Emma forgave him for sleeping with Manny four years ago. Had she not started coming home late and making him suspect her of cheating, he never would've started sleeping with Manny again.

Sean was extremely angry at Emma; he felt a mixture of pain, rage and dismay. He finally decided that he was through with Emma and Jay; apparently, Manny needed him more. She was pregnant with a child that may possibly be his and he vowed not to abandon her. Once the image of Manny's beautiful, smiling face entered his mind, his anger temporarily faded away.

He smiled as he wondered what Manny was carrying. Is it another beautiful baby girl? Or will she give him his very first son? He loved Manny and he decided that he wants to be with her. At first, he wanted the baby to be Jay's, but now he hoped more than ever that the baby was his instead. Even though the bed was stiff and the cell was cold, Sean was able to sleep comfortably that night. He wrapped himself up in his lovely dreams of Manny to keep him warm.

The next morning, Emma woke up and got ready for work. When she returned home last night, she couldn't bear to even look at Dakota. She was so distraught over being viciously betrayed by her own daughter. By 10:00AM, Emma finished showering and getting dressed in her veterinarian uniform. She grabbed her purse and car keys and made her way downstairs. As soon as she got to the door, she heard the sound of keys in the door.

Emma stepped back as Sean entered the house. He had been released from jail not long ago; Emma noticed the black eye and angry expression on his face. Emma felt a chill roll down her spine, but she tried to remain calm.

"Honey, are you okay?" Emma asked.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" Sean snapped."Don't pretend to be concerned now."

"I'm not pretending, Sean," Emma insisted.

"You fucked Jay!" Sean barked."You weren't concerned about me then!"

"Sean, I'm sorry," Emma told him.

"I don't want to hear it," Sean argued."Where is Dakota?"

"She's still asleep in her room," Emma replied.

"So, you were going to leave her in the house by herself?!" Sean shouted."You didn't even know what time I was getting out of jail!"

"Relax, Sean!" Emma exclaimed."My brother's on his way over here to watch her."

"Tell him don't bother," Sean snapped."I'm here now; I can look after my own kid."

"When I get back home from work tonight, let's just sit down and talk," Emma told him.

"I have nothing to say to you," Sean insisted.

"Come on, don't be like that," Emma said.

"I want a divorce!" Sean yelled.

"What?" Emma gasped.

"You heard me," Sean snarled.

"Sean, you don't mean that," Emma stated.

"Do you think I'm joking?" Sean growled.

"Why do you want to divorce me, Sean?" Emma cried, tearfully."I didn't divorce you when you cheated on me!"

"Look, I don't want to hear that bullshit," Sean snapped."My mind is made up. I'm divorcing your ass and I'm taking Dakota with me."

"Excuse me?!" Emma exclaimed.

"I'm taking Dakota with me," Sean repeated, sternly.

"You're not taking my daughter anywhere you self-centered son of a bitch!" Emma screamed.

"What makes you think she wants to stay here with you?" Sean asked, harshly."She can't even stand you! She made that pretty obvious at the party last night."

"Fuck you, Sean!" Emma snapped.

"Fuck you, too!" Sean shot back.

Enraged, Emma slapped Sean swiftly across the face. She attempted to slap him again, but Sean grabbed her arms and shoved her violently against the wall. He pinned her against the wall and glared at her with his cold blue eyes.

"Keep your fucking hands off of me!" Sean yelled."If you hit me one more time, I'm going right back to jail. I promise you!"

Emma was startled. Hot tears ran down her face; she quivered from her husband's fury. Sean has threatened her before, but this was the first time she ever took him seriously.

"Now take your ass to work," Sean snapped."I have nothing else to say to you."

Sean stepped away from Emma and she made her way towards the door.

"Fine Sean, you can have your divorce!" Emma cried."But remember this, you and Manny started this!"

Emma quickly headed out of the door and slammed it behind her. Sean turned around and headed upstairs. Emma cried as she walked towards her car. Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of the house. Emma looked up and saw her brother, Jack, step out of the car. He borrowed his father's car to come over. Jack was now twenty years old and a junior at college. He was back in Toronto until his new semester started at the end of the month.

"Hey Emma," Jack said.

"Hey," Emma said.

As Jack got closer to her, he noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Emma, what's wrong?" Jack asked.

"Just go back home, Jack," Emma told him."Sean is here. He can look after Dakota."

"Okay that's fine, but what's wrong?" Jack asked."Why are you crying?"

"Sean and I just had a fight," Emma replied, crying.

"What?!" Jack exclaimed."Was it a physical fight? Did he hit you?"

"No, not exactly," Emma sobbed."He just sort of pushed me."

"No way!" Jack shrieked, angrily."I am going to kill him!"

Jack started to walk up towards the front door, but Emma held him back.

"Jack don't!" Emma yelled."Just go home."

"Fuck that!" Jack shouted."You're my sister!"

"It's not worth it, Jack!" Emma cried.

"Yes it is!" Jack insisted."He got violent with you while my niece is in the house!"

"Exactly!" Emma exclaimed."Dakota is in the house, so don't fight him!"

"Fine," Jack sighed.

"Jack, I'll be okay," Emma assured him.

Feeling her pain, Jack grabbed his big sister and hugged her tightly. Emma hugged him back and cried onto his shoulder for a few seconds.

"Okay Jack, I have to get to work now," Emma said, releasing her embrace."I'll talk to you later."

"Okay," Jack said."Bye, Emma."

They got in their cars and drove off.

Meanwhile, while Sean was the in the house, he showered and put a fresh change of clothes. The clothes he wore to the party last night were spotted with his and Jay's blood, so he put them in the washer. He headed to Dakota's room to check on her. She was still asleep, so Sean shook her awake. When Dakota woke up, the first thing she noticed was Sean's black eye.

"Daddy, are you okay?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, sweetie," Sean replied.

"Are you sure?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah," Sean said.

"Did Mom leave for work yet?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah," Sean told her."We're getting a divorce pretty soon."

"Good," Dakota said."I don't like what she did to you."

"Neither do I," Sean sighed.

"When you go, can I come with you?" Dakota asked.

"I definitely want you to," Sean replied."But it'll be up to the judge when we go to court."

"I hope they don't make me stay with her," Dakota stated, softly."I want to go with you, Dad."

Sean didn't know what to say. Tears started to form in Dakota's eyes.

"Come on, sweetie, don't cry," Sean told her."Camerons don't cry. We're strong, okay?"

Dakota nodded as she wiped her tears.

"Go wash up," Sean said."I'm going to make breakfast."

"Okay."

Sean gave Dakota a kiss and headed downstairs.


	29. Love Don't Live Here Anymore

{You abandoned me; love don't live here anymore. Just a vacancy; love don't live here anymore}(Emma's thoughts to Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by Rose Royce(also covered by Faith Evans and Mary. J. Blige)*

After Sean and Dakota finished eating breakfast, he headed upstairs to the bedroom and called Manny's cell. She answered after several rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey Manny," Sean said.

"Hey baby," Manny said."Are you okay? I heard you and Jay got arrested for fighting."

"Yeah, we did," Sean told her."Did your asshole husband get home from jail yet?"

"No," Manny replied.

"Are you at home?" Sean asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to come over?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, but I want to wait for Jay to get back," Manny told him."I have a lot to say to his sorry ass."

"Well, whatever you say, try not to piss him off too much," Sean warned her."I don't want him to lose his temper and hit you while you're pregnant."

"Yeah, I definitely don't want that to happen," Manny sighed.

"If he lays a finger on you, I will murder him," Sean stated."I don't want you to miscarry again, especially since you might be carrying my child."

"When we were living in New York, Jay did hit me one time," Manny admitted."But I hit him first, so he was provoked."

"And here I am feeling bad about what happened this morning," Sean said.

"What happened?" Manny asked.

"When I came home from jail, Emma and I argued," Sean replied."I told her I wanted a divorce and custody of Dakota and then she slapped me, so I threw her against the wall."

"Don't feel bad," Manny told him."As women, we shouldn't think that it's okay to hit men and expect them not to hit back, even if they are a lot stronger than we are."

"That's true," Sean agreed.

"So, are you really going to divorce Emma?" Manny asked.

"Definitely," Sean replied."Half of the reason why I'm divorcing her is because she slept with Jay; the other half is because I'm in love with you."

"I've felt that way about you for a long time," Manny told him."I'm really happy that you feel the same."

"Sorry it took me so long to realize it," Sean said.

"It's okay," Manny said.

"I'm going to take good care of you and the baby, even if it turns out to be Jay's," Sean assured her.

"I really want it to be yours, Sean," Manny said.

"Me too, baby," Sean said.

They chatted on the phone for another hour or so before they hung up.

Jay was released from jail at one o clock in the afternoon. He called Alex to come pick him up after he explained the entire story which led up to him getting arrested in the first place. When she showed up, Jay had to take a seat in the backseat. Alex's new girlfriend, Nicole, was occupying the passenger's side. They all chatted as Alex drove.

"Thanks for picking me up, Alex," Jay told her."I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Alex said.

"How are you doing, Nicole?" Jay asked.

"Good and you?" Nicole asked.

"Shitty," Jay replied.

"Sorry to hear that," Nicole sympathized.

"Sean and Manny are total hypocrites," Alex commented."But you were still wrong for sleeping with Emma."

"Whatever," Jay muttered."I don't apologize for it."

"Come on, Jay," Alex said."If you wanted to pay Manny back for cheating on you, there are a billion other women you could have screwed besides Emma."

"Alex, this isn't about payback," Jay insisted."I slept with Emma because I love her. I've been in love with her before we even started having sex."

"So, where exactly do you stand with Manny?" Alex asked.

"I don't know," Jay replied."I still have to talk to her. I know she's going to freak out on me, but I don't give a shit."

They continued to talk for the rest of the drive. Finally, Alex dropped Jay off in front of Liberty's house, since his car was still parked over there. After saying goodbye and thanking them for the ride, Jay walked to his car as Alex drove off. He got in his car and drove away. A few minutes later, he pulled up in front of his house. Manny's car was in the driveway, so he knew she was home.

After parking his car, Jay walked up to the door and entered the house. He made his way upstairs into the bedroom. Manny was sitting on the bed watching TV and eating ice cream. They didn't bother to greet each other. Jay made his way to the dresser and collected a night's worth of clothes and his work uniform.

"Wherever you're going, I hope you can stay there," Manny told him."Don't bother coming back to this house."

"Fine with me," Jay insisted."I'll be back for my shit as soon as I get home from work tomorrow."

Manny rolled her eyes at him and then continued watching TV. After Jay was finished, he headed out of the house and made his way to his car. He drove over to Towerz's house. While he was there, he took a nap until it was time to get up for the nightshift at work. He didn't sleep very well in jail.

Meanwhile, Emma was on her lunch break. While she was at work, she kept thinking about the fight she had with Sean and the cruel things he said that morning. Even though it was a sunny, peaceful Sunday afternoon, her mood was still profoundly low. She was sitting on a bench at the park, staring at the pond and eating her veggie burger. She watched the Canada geese swim around and she wondered why some of them didn't fly south for the winter.

Suddenly, Emma's cell phone rang and she answered. It was her stepfather, Archie.

"Hey Dad," Emma said.

"Emma, what in the world is going on?" Archie asked.

"I wish I knew," Emma sighed.

"Jack told me that you told him that Sean pushed you this morning," Archie stated.

"He did," Emma told him.

"The only reason why I didn't go over there and break his neck is because Dakota's over there," Archie continued."Your mother is very angry right now."

"It's not even worth it," Emma murmured."Besides, he only pushed me because I hit him."

"Toby called me a couple of hours ago crying his eyes out," Archie reported."He told me about the party last night and how Julian exposed their relationship to Liberty and your affair with Jay. He also told me how Dakota stabbed you in the back and then Sean and Jay got arrested for having this really nasty fistfight. He told me everything."

"Dad, I have never been so humiliated in my entire life," Emma stated, shamefully."I am incredibly pissed at Toby. If he never would have left Liberty for Julian in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"Well, if Julian wasn't one of your mom's top stylists, she would've surely fired him for that horrible stunt he pulled last night," Archie told her."But you can't blame Toby for everything. He had nothing do with this affair you've been having with Jay."

"I know," Emma sighed."I just feel really bad for Liberty."

"Poor girl," Archie said."She must be devastated."

Emma just sighed again without responding.

"So, how long have you been having this affair with Jay?" Archie asked.

"A couple months," Emma replied.

"Emma, what possessed you to start sleeping him?" Archie questioned.

"I really don't know," Emma replied."We didn't plan on it; it just happened."

"I didn't call to lecture you though," Archie insisted."I just want to know if you're okay."

"My heart is crushed, Dad," Emma said, tearfully."Sean wants a divorce."

"That's absurd," Archie commented, angrily."You didn't divorce him when he cheated on you with Manny four years ago."

"That's exactly what I said!" Emma exclaimed."Sean is a complete hypocrite."

"Well, good riddance," Archie insisted."If he can't find it in his heart to forgive you even though you forgave him for what he did four years ago then he maybe should leave."

"I still love him, Dad," Emma started to cry.

"Emma, he clearly made up his mind," Archie told her."Just let him go. And being that Dakota is shaping up to be just as cold as he is, maybe she should go with him."

"He wants to take her with him," Emma said."But I'm not going let him. He and I are in for a long, brutal fight in court."

"I just can't believe Dakota would betray you the way that she did," Archie sighed.

"Dad, I love my daughter," Emma sobbed."I don't know why she hates me so much. It's like Sean can do no wrong in her eyes. I was never jealous of their relationship, but it really breaks my heart that she loves him more than she loves me."

Archie felt bad as he listened to his stepdaughter cry. He felt her pain and he wished he knew what to do to ease it. They spoke until Emma's lunch break was over. After hanging up with Archie, she returned to the animal clinic to get back to work.

At ten o clock, Dakota said goodnight to her father and went to bed. Sean picked up the phone and called Manny.

"Hello?" Manny answered.

"What's up, baby?" Sean said.

"Nothing," Manny responded."Jay got out of jail this afternoon. He's at work right now; I'm going to kick him out in the morning."

"Good," Sean said."I'd love for us to live together, but I think I'm going to stay here with Dakota until my divorce with Emma is final. I don't want Dakota to feel like I'm divorcing her too if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Manny told him.

"I'll just stay in the guest room," Sean said.

"Did Emma get back from work yet?" Manny asked.

"No. Why?" Sean replied.

"Because I want you to come spend the night with me," Manny told him."Jay gets off of work at six in the morning."

"Okay, baby," Sean agreed."I'll be over there as soon as Emma gets home."

"Okay, I'll see you then," Manny said."I love you."

"I love you, too," Sean responded.

They said goodnight and hung up. A few minutes later, Emma arrived home from work. Sean was alerted to her presence when he heard the dogs barking. He grabbed his coat and walked downstairs. He and Emma just stared at each other for a few seconds. Sean's stare was cold and Emma's stare was just plain sad. Finally, Sean just stepped out of the door, headed to his car and drove away.

Emma filled the dogs' dishes up with food and water and then she headed upstairs. She took a long shower and then put on some pajamas. She knew that her sadness was going to give her trouble sleeping that night, so she pulled out some old photo albums. She looked at the photo of her very first date with Sean in grade seven and smiled, sadly. Tears ran down Emma's face as she looked at old college photos of her, Manny and Liberty. She also looked at pictures of dearly departed friend JT Yorke, pictures of her wedding with Sean and pictures of her baby shower when she was pregnant with Dakota.

Suddenly, Emma broke down and cried. She was beginning to feel as though her life was falling apart. She loved Sean more than life itself and it killed her to know that it was all coming to an unhappy end. Jay had tried calling all day but she didn't answer. Although she still had feelings for him, she just couldn't bear to hear his voice at the moment. She didn't blame Jay for her downfall with Sean, but she started having regrets.


	30. Emotional

{What's a man to do when he just can't take no more? What am I to do when my heart leads me to the door? Now, we've tried and tried again, but now this is the end. Tell me what's the use of holding on if we can't be friends.}(Jay's thoughts to Manny)

*This chapter is named after a song by Carl Thomas)*

After a night of talking, laughing, cuddling, kissing and passionate lovemaking, Sean and Manny fell asleep in each other's arms. They slept until five o clock in the morning. Manny had to wake Sean up.

"Baby, Jay's getting off of work soon," Manny told him."You have to go."

"Okay," Sean yawned.

He turned towards Manny and kissed her softly. Sean stepped out of the bed naked and gathered his clothes from off of the floor. Manny smiled as she watched him get dressed. Even though she was angry with Jay for cheating on her, she still felt a little strange about bringing another man into the same bed she shared with her husband. This was the first time she ever had sex with Sean in her own house.

After Sean finished dressing, he kissed Manny again and headed out the door. Manny got out of the bed, took a shower and got dressed for work. She changed the sheets on the bed and headed downstairs to the kitchen. She had just finished eating waffles when Jay arrived home at 6:27AM. He headed directly upstairs to the bedroom. Manny went upstairs after him and stepped into the room.

"Jay, I don't know if you have anywhere to go and frankly, I don't care," Manny stated."But I don't want you in my house another day."

"Do you think you're hurting me?!" Jay exclaimed."If that's what you think then you are mistaken."

"I don't give a shit," Manny snapped."Just get out now!"

"Okay, shut the fuck up!" Jay yelled."I'm leaving."

Jay grabbed a suitcase and started collecting some of his clothes from the dresser and closet. He glared at Manny.

"You know what?" Jay said, sternly."I'm glad I'm leaving your ass. I deserve better than you."

"Ooh, let me guess," Manny smirked."Is it Emma?"

"Yeah, that's exactly who it is," Jay replied.

"Jay, how stupid can you be?" Manny asked.

"Not as stupid as you; that's for damn sure," Jay responded.

"You can't move in with Emma," Manny told him."She and Sean are getting a divorce, but he's not moving out until the divorce is final."

"Manny, you're a fucking idiot," Jay snapped."I'm going to stay with Towerz, but Emma and I are going to make our relationship official."

Manny was stunned. She didn't want to be with Jay anymore but for some reason she still didn't want Emma to have him.

"So, you're really going to leave me for Emma?" she asked.

"You're kicking me out anyway!" Jay shouted."What the hell am I supposed to do? Do you expect me to sit around and cry over you?"

"Look Jay, I was just angry," Manny said."I didn't mean what I said. Can we just sit down and talk?"

"Oh, now you want to sit down and talk?!" Jay exclaimed."Now that I told you I'm going to be with Emma you want to sit down and talk all of sudden?"

"Come on, Jay," Manny told him."I cheated on you with Sean; you cheated on me with Emma. Let's just call it even and try to sort this mess out."

"Manny, it's hopeless," Jay insisted."Our marriage is already wrecked. We haven't been as happy as we used to be in years."

"But we can fix it," Manny said, tearfully.

"No we cannot," Jay retorted.

"Jay, please," Manny started to cry.

"Manny, save the tears," Jay scoffed."I'm not impressed."

Jay packed some more clothes and zipped his suitcase shut.

"I'll be back for the rest of my shit tomorrow," Jay told her.

He started walking downstairs; Manny hurried after him.

"Jay, don't leave!" Manny cried.

Jay ignored her as he walked towards the door. Manny quickly stood in front of the door, blocking his path.

"Get out of my way," Jay demanded.

"You can't leave me, Jay," Manny sobbed.

"Get out of my way!" Jay yelled.

"I'm pregnant!" Manny screamed.

"You're a fucking liar," Jay snapped.

"No, I'm not," Manny told him."Do you want me to take a pregnancy test?"

Jay just sighed and dropped his suitcase.

"You were going to let me leave you here pregnant?" he asked, disappointedly.

"I was just angry," Manny said.

"When did you find out?" Jay asked.

"Yesterday morning, before you got out of jail," Manny lied.

Jay shook his head and exhaled.

"You're going to be a Daddy, Jay," Manny smiled."I don't want to lose this baby like I lost the other ones."

Manny put her arms around Jay and started crying. Jay wrapped his arms around Manny and hugged her tightly. He wanted to be with Emma, but he felt obligated to stay with Manny for the sake of the baby. Besides, Emma didn't return any of his calls since he got out of jail; so perhaps she didn't want to be with him anyway. Just thinking about it made Jay really sad, but he didn't have the heart to abandon his pregnant wife.

Later on in the afternoon, Emma was at work tidying up her office. She just finished giving a check up to a young puppy. Suddenly, her office phone rang and she picked it up.

"Dr. Nelson-Cameron speaking?" Emma answered.

"You have a telephone call on line two," the receptionist told her.

"Thank you," Emma said.

Emma switched over to line two and answered it.

"Hey Emma," Jay said.

"Oh, hey Jay," Emma said.

"When are you going out for lunch?" Jay asked.

"In about twenty minutes," Emma replied."Why?"

"Because we have to talk," Jay told her.

"Yeah, we actually do," Emma agreed.

They hung up after they agreed to meet for lunch later. At 3:00PM, Emma exited the animal clinic and she met Jay at a nearby fast food restaurant. Jay ordered a bacon cheeseburger and Emma ordered a veggie burger. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Jay spoke up.

"Do you want to go first?" Jay asked.

"No, you go first," Emma told him.

"Okay, I just want you to know that I really care about you," Jay said."I enjoyed spending time with you and I think you're the sweetest, most amazing person I've ever known. But Manny just told me that she's pregnant so we're going to try and work it out."

"Really?" Emma responded.

"Yeah," Jay sighed.

"So, that means we have to stop seeing each other," Emma said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Jay told her.

"You don't have to apologize," Emma insisted."I was actually going to say the same thing."

"Well, I figured that," Jay said."It's no wonder you didn't call me back when I was trying to call you all day yesterday."

"I just didn't want to hurt you," Emma said."You told me that you love me and I thought I would break your heart if I stopped seeing you."

"Yeah, I understand," Jay said.

"I just need to be alone right now," Emma told him."Sean told me he wants a divorce and I'm really upset about it."

"I know," Jay sighed."Manny told me."

"How does Manny know?" Emma asked, confused.

"I assumed you told her," Jay replied.

"But I didn't," Emma said.

"Well, I don't know who told her," Jay stated.

"The only people I've told were my parents and my brother," Emma said."I seriously doubt that they told Manny."

"Sean must've told her then," Jay said.

"Why would Sean tell her?" Emma asked.

"Hmm, that's a good question," Jay said.

"Jay, you were at work last night, right?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Jay replied.

"Well, Sean spent the night out," Emma told him.

"When I came home from work this morning, I noticed that there were new sheets on the bed," Jay said.

"Oh….my….God," Emma gasped.

"Emma, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Emma replied.

"Something really fishy is going on and I'm going to get to the bottom of it," Jay declared.

"I have a plan," Emma stated.

Jay listened closely as Emma told him her plan. Did they really figure out what Sean and Manny has been doing behind their backs?


	31. Bed Of Lies

{No, I would not sleep in this bed of lies. So toss me out and turn in and there'll be no rest for these tired eyes. I'm marking it down to learning.}(Jay's thoughts to Manny)

*This chapter is named after a song by Matchbox Twenty*

When Jay and Emma finished eating, they said goodbye and parted ways. Emma headed back to work while Jay headed home. They had the feeling that Sean and Manny may have rekindled their affair, so they formulated a brilliant plan to catch them in a lie.

At around eight o clock that evening, Jay put on his work uniform, grabbed his wallet and car keys. The truth was that he had the night off. He just wanted Manny to think that he was going to be at work all night to see what she would do while he was gone. That was part of the plan.

"Okay baby, I'm going to work now," Jay told her.

"Okay, honey," Manny said."I'll see you in the morning."

Jay gave her a quick kiss and left out of the house. He decided to drive over to Towerz's house until Emma got off of work. At 10:00PM, Emma got off of work and she drove home. It took her thirty minutes to arrive home. She parked in the driveway and then entered the house.

As usual, the dogs greeted her with barking, jumping and tail-wagging. Before Emma had the chance to go upstairs, Sean came jogging down the stairs with his coat on. He walked past her, completely ignoring her as if she was just a piece of furniture. Emma glared at him as he stepped out of the door. When she heard his car engine start up, she pulled out her cell phone and called Jay's cell.

"Hello?" Jay answered.

"Hey Jay," Emma said."Sean just left as soon as I got in."

"Great," Jay said.

"Where are you now?" Emma asked.

"I'm at Towerz's house," Jay said."Where do you want to meet at?"

"Let's just use one car," Emma insisted."You can come pick me up."

"Okay," Jay agreed.

"I have to see if I can get someone to watch Dakota," Emma told him."I'll call you back when I'm ready."

"Okay," Jay said."I'll see you later."

"Later."

After hanging up with Jay, Emma headed upstairs. On her way to the master bedroom, she glimpsed inside Dakota's bedroom. She was fast asleep. Emma headed to her room and removed her uniform. She changed into her old Smithdale sweatshirt, some jeans and a pair of sneakers. Emma picked up her phone and dialed her brother, Jack's cell.

"Hello?" he answered.

"What's up, Jack?" Emma said.

"Hey Emma," Jack responded."How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a little better," Emma told him."What are you doing?"

"I was actually speaking to Kristie on the other line," Jack told her.

Kristie was Jack's girlfriend whom he attends college with. He missed her so much and he couldn't wait for the new semester to begin in two weeks.

"Well, if I gave you fifty bucks, would you do your big sister a favor?" Emma asked."You don't have to hang up with Kristie."

"What's the favor?" Jack said.

"Will you watch Dakota for a little while?" Emma asked him.

"Sure," Jack agreed.

After hanging up with Jack, Emma called Jay and told him to come pick her up. When Jack arrived twenty minutes later, Emma handed him fifty dollars. Two minutes later, Jay pulled up in front of the house and honked his horn.

Emma headed outside, got into the passenger's seat next to Jay and they drove off. A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of Jay's house. When they noticed Sean's car parked in the driveway, they were fuming.

"Can you believe this shit?!" Jay exclaimed."He's really here!"

"Yeah, it's confirmed," Emma stated."They are sleeping together……again."

"Should I or should I not kick in the door and beat both their asses into bloody pulps?" Jay asked, angrily.

"Why would you have to kick in the door?" Emma questioned."You have keys."

"Well, should I just beat their asses?" Jay asked.

"No, it's not even worth it," Emma insisted."They're going to feel stupid enough when we catch their asses in the act. Besides, Manny's pregnant."

"Yeah, you're right," Jay sighed.

"Come on," Emma said.

They got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Jay inserted his keys into the lock and tried to open the door as quietly as possible. When he and Emma entered the house, they gently shut the door behind them. They started tiptoeing up the stairs. When they were halfway upstairs, they heard the sound of the bed shaking, Manny moaning loudly and Sean talking dirty.

Jay got even more furious. He clenched his fists tightly and bit down on his lower lip. As a man, he felt extremely humiliated and disrespected that his wife was having sex with another man in the same bed he slept in every night. Emma saw how angry Jay looked, so she grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Jay, it's not worth it," Emma whispered."Compose yourself."

Jay inhaled deeply and exhaled freely. He realized that Emma was right; it wasn't worth getting too furious over.

"Are you ready?" Emma asked, softly.

"Yeah," Jay whispered.

Jay and Emma ran up the rest of the stairs and barged into the bedroom. Sean and Manny were shocked and embarrassed as they quickly covered their nakedness with the sheets. Manny covered her bare breasts with the blanket. Jay and Emma glared at them coldly with their arms folded. For a few seconds, there was a deathly quietness in the room as the four adults just gazed at each other in disbelief. Jay was the first one to break the silence.

"Well, well," he said."It looks like Emma and I weren't the only ones doing wrong."

"Yeah, Manny and I started fucking each other again a while ago," Sean admitted, boldly."What are you going to do about it?"

Jay irately took a step forward but Emma grabbed his arm.

"Jay, it's not worth it," Emma said.

"If Jay wants to fight me again then he can bring it," Sean stated."Get out of the room so I can get dressed. I'll meet him outside."

"Sean, don't even bother getting dressed," Emma snapped."You can stay right where you are. I was going to be nice and let you stay with Dakota until the divorce is final, but now I change my mind. I have no compassion for liars. I want you to get your things and get the fuck out of my house immediately. If Dakota has a problem with that, it's too bad."

"Whatever, Emma," Sean muttered."I'll have my stuff out of your house by tomorrow night. But as I told you before, I will be seeking custody of Dakota when we get our divorce."

"Yeah, we'll just see about that," Emma snapped.

"Did you leave her in the house by herself?" Sean asked, sternly.

"No stupid, my brother's watching her," Emma replied, sharply.

"If Emma wasn't here to calm me down, I swear I'd kill both your asses," Jay growled."Manny, how dare you fuck him in my bed while you're pregnant with my child?!"

Manny was still too embarrassed to respond.

"Do you even know who the father is?" Emma asked.

"No, I don't," Manny admitted in a tone of frustration.

"So, why would you lie to me like that?!" Jay yelled.

Manny was about to respond but Jay cut her off.

"You know what?" he said."Don't even answer the question. I won't even believe your answer because all you do is lie to me. I don't trust a damn thing that comes out of your mouth anymore."

Jay continued."If the baby does turn out to be mine, I'll handle my responsibilities as a father, but you and I are through."

"Fine," Manny said.

"Now, I'm going to step out the room so you can get dressed," Jay told them."When you're done, I'm going to grab my shit and go. You two are officially dead to me as far as I'm concerned."

Jay and Emma turned around and walked out of the bedroom. Sean and Manny, still slightly stunned, got out of the bed and started getting dressed. They wondered how Jay and Emma managed to figure it out. A few seconds later, Sean and Manny left the bedroom and walked downstairs to the living room. Emma followed Jay into the bedroom where he began to pack his belongings.

Sean and Manny sat in the living room downstairs, talking.

"How the hell did they find out about us?" Sean asked.

"I have no clue," Manny replied, shaking her head.

"When did you tell Jay that you're pregnant?" Sean asked.

"This morning," Manny said.

"Now that he knows that you and I started seeing each other again, he's aware that the baby may not even be his," Sean stated.

"Yeah," Manny sighed.

"But if you were kicking him out, why did you even tell him you're pregnant?" Sean asked."I told you I'd be here for you regardless of who the baby's father is."

"I told him because he said he was going to leave me for Emma," Manny said.

"Who cares?" Sean insisted."Let him have her."

"This may sound childish but I don't want Emma or Jay to be happy," Manny told him."I am extremely furious with them. I can't believe they would fuck each other when they knew how upset they were when they found out about you and me."

"That's exactly how I feel," Sean agreed."They're bigger fucking hypocrites than we are."

"Definitely," Manny said."I just can't believe they actually caught us though. It was humiliating."

"Oh well," Sean insisted."They've seen us naked before."

"That's true," Manny said.

"But you know what?" Sean stated."Forget Emma and Jay; you and I have each other now and that's all that matters."

"Yeah, you're right," Manny nodded.

"I love you," Sean said.

"I love you, too," Manny responded.

Sean pulled Manny closer to him and kissed her. They kissed each other deeply and tenderly as a genuine expression of their love. They smiled as they looked forward to living together and having a real chance to be a couple.

When Jay finished packing his things, Emma grabbed the lighter bags while he grabbed the heavier ones. They headed downstairs and absolutely ignored Sean and Manny on their way out the door. After loading his luggage into the car, Jay and Emma drove away.


	32. The First Cut Is The Deepest

{I would have given you all of my heart, but there's someone who's torn it apart. And he's taken just all that I have. But if you want I'll try to love again. Baby, I'll try to love again but I know the first cut is the deepest.}(Emma's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Sheryl Crow*

As Jay drove away, he and Emma were both silent. They couldn't believe they actually caught Sean and Manny having sex. The sight was disturbing and it made their insides sizzle with rage. Jay glanced over at Emma and saw that she was crying. Emma was extremely hurt and angry; tears ran down her cheeks. Jay felt bad for her, so he reached out and softly touched her hand.

"It's going to be okay," Jay told her.

Jay kept his left hand on the steering wheel and he held Emma's hand with his right. He gave it a gentle squeeze as he continued to drive. By the time Jay pulled up into Emma's driveway, Emma dried her tears and stopped crying. They exited the car and entered the house.

"Jack, I'm back," Emma called out.

Jack came out of the living room towards the front door. He was a little confused as to why Jay was there, but he didn't bother to ask.

"What's up, Jay?" Jack said.

"Hey Jack, how are you?" Jay asked.

"Great," Jack replied.

He gave Jay a five.

"How's college?" Jay asked.

"It's awesome; I'm going back in a couple weeks," Jack told him.

"Cool," Jay said.

"Thanks a lot, Jack," Emma said.

"Anytime," Jack said.

"Goodnight," Emma said."Drive home safely."

"I will."

Emma gave Jack a hug and waved goodbye as he left out the door. After Jack left, Emma turned to Jay.

"Okay Jay, I want to get to bed now," Emma told him."I'll talk to you soon."

"I know you're tired, but can we talk now?" Jay asked.

"Jay, it's been a long day and a terrible night," Emma stated, softly."I just really want to shut my eyes and forget about it."

"Just for a little bit," Jay insisted.

"Okay," Emma sighed.

They headed into the living room and sat down on the sofa.

"Emma, I know you're hurt," Jay said."I'm hurt too. Manny is carrying a baby that might be mine or Sean's. On one hand, I want it to be mine because I've always wanted a chance to be a father. But on the other hand, I don't want it to be mine because I would be linked to that woman for the rest of my life. She made her choice and her choice was Sean, now it's time for me to make mine."

"Jay, if you're referring to me, I'm sorry but that's not going to happen," Emma told him.

"I can respect that but I'm in love with you," Jay stated."So, it saddens me to know that you don't feel the same way."

"I never said I don't feel the same way," Emma insisted."This just isn't the right time."

"Why not?" Jay asked.

"What do you mean why not?" Emma said, with tears in her eyes."We just broke up with our spouses."

"I know that," Jay said.

"So, why would you want to jump into another relationship right away?" Emma asked."I'm not ready to move on."

"But sitting around being depressed isn't going make you feel any better," Jay told her."You're a good woman and you don't deserve to be in any pain."

"But I am," Emma started to cry."I really loved Sean and he broke my heart for the umpteenth time. I know I don't deserve to be in any pain but I can't help it."

"So, don't you think you deserve someone to love you, to be there for you and to comfort you?" Jay asked."I'm willing to do that."

"Why do you have to be so wonderful?" Emma sobbed.

"Because I love you," Jay replied, with a deep sincerity in his voice.

Jay looked into Emma's eyes and reached out his hand to touch her face. He softly wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Please will you let me love you?" Jay asked.

"I want you to but I'm really not sure," Emma replied.

"We don't have to rush into anything big," Jay told her."I'm not asking you to marry me and I'm not asking you to let me move in. I'm going to stay with Towerz until I find my own place. Will you at least think about it?"

"Okay, I'll think about it," Emma agreed.

"Okay, goodnight," Jay said.

He gave Emma a kiss on the cheek and then stood up. He started walking away.

"Jay, wait," Emma said.

Jay turned around as Emma walked towards him.

"Just stay with me tonight," she told him."I don't need time to think. I already made up my mind."

"You did?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, I want you to be here for me," Emma told him."I love you."

Jay was so happy that Emma finally said it.

"I love you, too," Jay said.

They put their arms around each other and kissed passionately. They made their way upstairs to the bedroom. Instead of making love, Jay just held Emma in his arms and comforted her until they fell asleep. Jay knew that Emma deserved to be loved. He was ready and willing to love her the way Sean stopped loving her.

When the sun came up in the morning, Jay got up an hour before Emma did. He kissed her goodbye and drove over to Towerz's house. The reason why he left earlier was because he didn't want Dakota to see him there and make her uncomfortable. When Emma woke up, she took a shower and got dressed for work. Dakota was up and dressed as well. While Emma was driving her to school, she spoke to her.

"As you know, your dad and I are getting a divorce," Emma told her.

"Uh-huh," Dakota muttered.

"I know you wanted him to stay until the divorce is final but that's not going to happen," Emma continued."He's leaving today."

"What?" Dakota gasped.

"There is a lot of hostility between us and we can't be under the same roof," Emma explained.

"Mom, that's not fair!" Dakota exclaimed.

"I know how you feel about your dad but I have to think about my feelings too," Emma told her.

"Yeah, you only think about YOUR feelings," Dakota snapped.

"Excuse me?" Emma asked.

"You cheated on my dad and now you're kicking him out as if he's the bad guy," Dakota stated, angrily.

"Dakota, I'm not going to argue with you," Emma told her, sternly."Your dad is leaving and that's final. I don't want to hear another word about it."

Dakota just sat quietly for the rest of the drive. She felt like crying, but she held it in. As Sean Cameron's daughter, she aspired to be as tough as her father always was. Emma was so disappointed that Dakota thought that she was the evil one and Sean was the victim. She wanted to tell her about Manny but Dakota probably wouldn't believe her. So, Emma just left it alone. After she dropped Dakota off at school, she drove to work.


	33. In Denial

*This chapter is named after a song by Kylie Minogue*

Later on that afternoon, Emma's mother, Christine, was waiting in her car in front of Dakota's school to pick her up. A few minutes later, she noticed Dakota walking towards the car. She was talking to her friends Mimi and Aurora. After saying goodbye to them, Dakota took a seat in the passenger's side of the car.

"Hi Grandma," Dakota said, politely.

"Hello honey; how was school?" Christine asked.

"Fine," Dakota replied.

"That's good," Christine said."When we get in the house, I really want to talk to you. Okay?"

"Okay," Dakota agreed.

Christine drove to her house; Archie didn't return from work yet. When they got inside the house, Christine fixed Dakota a snack and gave her some time to complete her homework. When Dakota was finished, she and Christine sat down in the living room. Dakota sat on the loveseat while Christine sat on the recliner.

"Dakota, I must say I'm very disappointed in you," Christine told her, softly."Your mom told Grandpa and me how you've been behaving towards her lately."

"I don't think I was misbehaving in any way," Dakota insisted.

"Be honest," Christine said."Why are you being so mean to your mother?"

"Because I can't stand her," Dakota replied."I wish Manny was my mother instead of my godmother."

"Dakota, don't ever say that again!" Christine scolded.

"You told me to be honest," Dakota shrugged.

"I asked you why you were being so mean to your mother," Christine stated."Your answer was that you can't stand her. That is not a reasonable answer, so now I want you to give me a reasonable answer as to why you can't stand your own mother."

"Because I don't like what she did to my dad," Dakota responded.

"You don't like her because she cheated on your dad?" Christine asked.

"Yes," Dakota said."Jay was my dad's best friend! How could she be so heartless?"

"Your mom and Jay were wrong for doing what they did, but they were only giving your dad and Manny a taste of their own medicine," Christine stated.

"I don't understand," Dakota said, confused.

"Oh, I forgot, your parents never told you," Christine said.

"Told me what?" Dakota asked.

"Almost five years ago, your dad cheated on your mom with that godmother you love so much," Christine revealed.

"That's not true," Dakota said."My dad would never hurt my mom like that. He's the sweetest man in the world."

"It is the truth," Christine told her.

"Well, I don't believe it," Dakota insisted.

"Why would I lie to you?" Christine asked.

"My mom lied to me; I'm not surprised that you're lying to me too," Dakota stated, harshly.

"Dakota, you are way out of line," Christine told her."You're very intelligent for a ten-year old, but you're also ignorant and naïve."

"Just leave me alone," Dakota sassed.

"Dakota Jade Cameron, you better watch your tone," Christine warned her.

"No, you're a liar!" Dakota shrieked.

"Excuse me?" Christine exclaimed.

"I am not going to sit here and listen to you make up lies about my dad to make him look bad," Dakota snapped.

Dakota stood up and started to walk away.

"Sit your ass down!" Christine shouted.

Christine's tone took Dakota by surprise; she never yelled at her before. Dakota obediently took a seat back on the couch and looked into her grandmother's angry face.

"Now you listen to me, you spoiled little brat," Christine stated, coldly."If you ever call me liar again, I will slap you silly. I tried to talk to you nicely but you decided to be rude and disrespectful. I will not tolerate it in my house. I didn't tolerate it from your mother when she was your age, I didn't tolerate it from your Uncle Jack when he was your age and I will not tolerate it from you."

Dakota stared down at her lap in shame.

"I can't force you to believe what I told you," Christine continued."But my conscience is clear because I know I'm telling the truth. I know you love your father and your father loves you. So, if you want to continue thinking he's innocent; it's completely up to you. But you better stop treating my daughter like dirt. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Grandma," Dakota murmured.

"Good," Christine said, sharply."You may be excused."

Dakota stood up and left the living room. She walked downstairs to the basement that used to be her mother's bedroom. She resisted the urge to cry. Every time she felt a tear developing, she quickly brushed it away. Her grandmother hurt her feelings; she didn't want to believe that her father would ever do something so awful.

At around 6:30PM, Sean arrived to Christine and Archie's house. Christine stared at him coldly as he and Dakota left. While Sean was driving, he and Dakota talked.

"Dad?" she said.

"Yes?" Sean responded.

"Grandma told me something and I'm not sure if I believe it," Dakota stated.

"What did she tell you?" Sean asked.

"She told me that you and Manny had an affair long before Mom and Jay had theirs," Dakota told him.

Sean was quiet. He felt horrible now that this long-kept secret has been revealed to Dakota.

"Dad, it isn't true, is it?" Dakota asked.

"No, of course not, sweetie," Sean lied.

"Are you sure?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah," Sean replied.

"Daddy, are you really sure?" Dakota asked again, her voice was shaky.

"Dakota, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, your mom or Jay," Sean told her.

Dakota just sighed.

"Do you believe me?" Sean asked.

"Yeah," Dakota said, softly.

"I would never lie to you," Sean said.

"Well, my grandmother did," Dakota said."How could she? I hate her almost as much as I hate Mom."

"Dakota, hate is a very strong word," Sean told her."I would never advise you to hate your grandmother. You just have to understand that your mom is her daughter and she's always going to be on her side regardless of who's wrong."

"Okay, but she didn't have to make up lies about you to justify what Mom did," Dakota stated.

"That's true but your grandmother isn't the one you should be angry with," Sean insisted."It's not her fault that your mom cheated on me."

"Yeah, I guess," Dakota sighed.

They drove quietly for a while until Dakota spoke up again.

"Dad, this may sound crazy, but the thought of you and Manny getting together isn't such a bad idea," Dakota told him.

"Really?" Sean asked.

"Yeah," Dakota said."Mom and Jay don't deserve you and Manny. I've always loved and looked up to Manny; she's such a great person. You're the greatest person in the world and you deserve to be happy. Someone like Manny would be perfect for you."

"Wow, I'm kind of surprised to hear you say that," Sean commented.

"I know it sounds crazy," Dakota said.

"It doesn't sound crazy but it's not that simple," Sean said.

"Well, I just hope that whoever you find will love you for who you are and see you for the great person you are," Dakota told him.

Little did Dakota know that Sean and Manny were already together. Sean pulled up in Emma's driveway and then he and Dakota entered the house. Sean packed his things in several bags. Dakota was sad to know that he was leaving. When Emma came home from work that night, Sean left.

Sean drove over to Manny's house. They greeted each other with a kiss and headed upstairs to the bedroom. They laid down side by side on the bed, conversing.

"Spike told Dakota the truth about what happened between us five years ago," Sean told her.

"Damn," Manny gasped."I hoped she wouldn't find out. Dakota must really hate us now."

"Quite the opposite actually," Sean said."Not only does she not believe what her grandmother told us, she thinks you and I should be together now that Emma and Jay are together."

"That's surprising," Manny said.

"I said the same thing," Sean chuckled.

"Well, she'll be happy to know that we're together now," Manny said.

"Yeah, but let's make her think that we didn't get together until AFTER she said we think we should," Sean suggested.

"Good idea," Manny agreed.

"I really hope the judge awards me custody of her when Emma and I get divorced," Sean said.

"Me too," Manny said.

"In the meantime, I'm really happy to be here with you," Sean told her.

"I love you, Sean."

"I love you too, baby."

They kissed passionately.


	34. You Oughta Know

{And I'm here to remind you of the mess you left when you went away. It's not fair to deny me of the cross I bear that you gave to me. You oughta know}(Emma's thoughts to Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by Alanis Morissette*

For the next few months, Emma and Jay continued to date while Jay stayed with Towerz and his wife, Keisha. Sean lived with Manny at her house. Dakota had no choice but to stay with her mother while her parents' divorce case took place in court. It began in March and it lasted until June. The three-month court battle was upsetting for both parties as the judge had trouble making decisions on behalf of Dakota.

Finally, when June arrived, they reached a verdict. The divorce was finalized and Sean won full custody of Dakota. Even though Emma makes more money than Sean does, the court overwhelmingly took Dakota's feelings into consideration. Emma was devastated and angry, but Jay did his best to comfort her as she cried her eyes out.

To add to Emma's pain, Liberty still wasn't talking to her and she refused to return her calls. Jay's love and support was wonderful, but Emma still felt partially lost without her old friend. Liberty was going through a difficult time as well; she was still upset with Toby for what he did to her. Toby was equally sad; he found his own place and stayed there.

Meanwhile, it was Saturday evening and Manny, Sean and Dakota were all celebrating living together. Manny cooked a big, hearty dinner and baked a cake. Manny is now seven months pregnant and her belly was extremely large. She was well-advanced into her pregnancy so it was evident that this pregnancy was meant to be. The doctor told her that she will be expecting a boy in August. She recently left work for maternity leave. Dakota was happy to see her father and her godmother as a couple. She always felt that they were meant for each other.

"That was delicious," Sean said.

"Yeah, it was," Dakota agreed.

"I'm glad you two enjoyed it," Manny beamed.

Manny stood up and started to collect the dishes off the table, but Sean stopped her.

"Baby, just sit down and relax," Sean told her."Dakota and I will handle the dishes."

"Honey, I'm not totally helpless," Manny insisted.

"I know, baby, but you have to take it easy," Sean said.

"Okay, I will," Manny said.

"Come on," Sean said."Let's get you upstairs."

"Goodnight Dakota," Manny said.

"Goodnight Mom," Dakota responded.

Sean and Manny looked at Dakota and smiled. Manny felt a warm sensation in her heart.

"Wow, she called me Mom," Manny said, happily.

Sean helped Manny walk up the stairs and escorted her to the bedroom. Manny lied down on the bed and turned the television on. Sean gave her a kiss and smiled at her.

"After Dakota and I finish the dishes, I'm going to head over to Emma's house and get the rest of Dakota's things," Sean told her.

"Okay, baby," Manny said.

Sean headed back downstairs to the kitchen. He helped Dakota clear the rest of the dishes and put them away. When they were finished, Dakota headed upstairs to her new bedroom. Sean headed outside to his car and drove to Emma's house. He pulled up in the driveway, stepped out of the car and rang the doorbell. He heard the dogs barking as they noticed his familiar scent through the door. A few seconds later, Emma opened the door. It was almost eight o clock at night.

"You're here for the rest of Dakota's stuff?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Sean said.

"Come in," Emma said.

When Emma let Sean into the house, the dogs jumped all over him as he petted them for a few seconds. When he finished playing with the dogs, Sean headed upstairs and started gathering Dakota's things together. It took him about a half hour to load all of her stuff into his car. Before he left, there was something he needed to get off his chest. So, he headed back into the house and took a seat beside Emma on the couch. It's only been two days since the divorce and custody battle has been settled. They just looked at each other with semi-sad expressions on their faces.

"How are you feeling?" Sean asked.

"How do you expect me to feel, Sean?" Emma responded, dejectedly.

"Believe me, I feel bad too," Sean told her."We've been in love since forever and we've married for thirteen years, now it's over."

"Getting a divorce was your choice, not mine," Emma stated.

"I know, but I still feel bad," Sean insisted.

"Sean, why are you telling me this now?" Emma asked."If you feel bad about divorcing me then you never should have asked for one. That's exactly what your problem is. You never take time to think when you're angry and you make a lot of impulsive decisions. That's why you have so many regrets in your life now."

"Now hold on a second, Emma," Sean argued."I never said I regret divorcing you; I'm happy with the decision I made and I was not acting on impulse."

"So, if you don't regret divorcing me, who the hell do you feel bad for?" Emma asked, sternly."You don't have to feel bad for me; I don't need your pity."

"I'm not pitying you," Sean insisted."The reason why I feel bad is because the love and the marriage we had was so beautiful and then it got destroyed. But I don't regret it; I'm in love with Manny now."

Emma felt a little hurt. Even though she loved Jay and she divorced Sean, she prayed that one day they could work it out. However, the divorce and Sean's recent words confirmed that it was completely over between them.

"I think you should go," Emma told him, tearfully.

"Emma, you know I'll always have a special place in my heart for you," Sean stated.

"Sean, please just go," Emma started to cry.

Sean reached out to wipe a tear from Emma's face, but she pushed his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" Emma cried.

Emma stood up and walked towards the front door. Sean followed after her, asking her to calm down. Emma held the door open and told him to get out.

"No, I'm not leaving now," Sean insisted.

"Excuse me?" Emma snarled.

Sean grabbed the door and shut it.

"I don't want us to hate each other," Sean said, softly.

As Emma looked deeply into Sean's blue eyes, she saw that same thirteen year old boy she fell in love with in grade seven. It was hard to imagine losing her first true love and letting him go nearly felt impossible. Their eye contact slowly began to draw their faces closer together like magnets. Suddenly, their lips came together and they kissed each other. As their tongues glided in and out each other's mouths, Sean's body heated up with desire. He picked Emma up and carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

Sean gently laid her down and climbed on top of her. In between kisses, their clothes came off and then they started making love. They totally forgot all about Manny and Jay and the commitment they made to them. Sean was enjoying Emma's body and this nostalgic feeling ran through his head. He has made love to this woman thousands of times over the years. He knew that this would be his last time, so he wanted to cherish every minute of it.

Emma, on the other hand, was feeling a completely different way. While Sean was making love to her, she didn't feel anything. Emma felt strange as she tried to figure out why the sex she was having with Sean felt so awful at the moment. Nothing about his "size" has changed; he was still very big. Nothing about the way he used his "size" has changed either; he was still very skilled.

So, how could Sean be so well-endowed and so sexually skilled yet Emma was receiving no feeling or pleasure out of it? Emma finally found the answer. She wasn't in love with Sean anymore. She thought she was but she was mistaken. Sex always felt so much better when you're doing it with someone you love and Emma was deeply in love with Jay now. She didn't feel the same about Sean anymore. Emma regretted that she didn't realize it before they started having sex. Suddenly, Emma started to get frustrated; she wanted Sean to get off of her.

"Sean, just stop," Emma told him.

"Come on Emma, don't do this to me," Sean complained.

"I don't want to do it anymore," Emma insisted."Just get off of me."

"Emma, I'm almost done," Sean said."Just for a little while longer, okay?"

Emma sighed and lied as still as a log while Sean continued to stroke her. Finally, he reached his climax and got off of her. Emma just laid back and hugged a pillow to her bare chest, while Sean started putting his clothes back on. After Sean got dressed, he looked at Emma and noticed the aggravated expression on her face. He was very well aware that Emma did not enjoy the sex they had at all. As a man, it really hurt his pride.

"Emma, are you mad at me?" Sean asked.

"I'm not mad at you; I'm mad at what just happened," Emma replied.

"Don't let it upset you," Sean told her."I'm actually glad we took this opportunity to make love one last time. Too bad you didn't enjoy it though."

"We're divorced, Sean!" Emma exclaimed."How could you not feel bad about what just happened?"

"Because I know that this is the last time and we're moving on with our lives," Sean replied.

"I just cheated on Jay," Emma stated, regretfully."This is so wrong and I feel so stupid."

"Emma, he doesn't have to know," Sean insisted.

"I don't want to lie to him," Emma said."I love him too much."

"Well, please don't tell Manny," Sean told her.

"I won't," Emma said."I'm not concerned with you and Manny. I'm concerned about me and Jay. I'm sorry but I don't love you anymore. I didn't even realize it until now."

Those words stung a little. Although Sean was in love with Manny and happy to be with her, it still hurt him to know that Emma was over him now.

"Alright, I understand," Sean sighed."I'm leaving now."

Sean straightened his clothes out and then left the bedroom. He headed out of the house, got in his car and drove off. Emma sat up in the bed and started crying. She just did a terrible thing to Jay and she had no idea how he was going to take it. However, Emma decided that telling the truth was the right thing to do. She knew from past experience that secrets like this never remained secrets for long. She just prayed that she wouldn't lose Jay over this. She planned to tell him everything when he comes in from work in the morning.


	35. Come A Little Bit Closer

{So, if you're leaving me now. Baby, I don't know how I will ever get over you. Because you opened my eyes to the star that's inside. Oh baby, baby, don't ever leave me.}(Emma's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Brandy*

Sleeping with Sean made Emma feel so dirty that she headed straight to the shower. When she was finished, she put on some pajamas and went to bed. Emma felt so ashamed of herself. Not only did she just cheat on Jay with her ex-husband, it wasn't even worth it. While Sean was making love to her, it was awful. Emma would always have love for Sean as a person, but she wasn't exactly IN love with him anymore. His touch, his kiss and his sex didn't make her quiver, flutter and melt the way it used to. Jay held her heart completely and she hated herself for betraying him.

As difficult as it was, Emma finally managed to fall asleep at around three o clock in the morning. It was frustrating because she had to get up for work at six o clock. While Emma was sleeping, Jay arrived home from work a little before five o clock in the morning. He didn't officially move in with Emma yet, but she had given him a set of keys to her house. Jay climbed into the bed with Emma as quietly as possible, trying not to wake her.

At 6:00AM, Emma woke up and got ready for work. She washed her face, brushed her teeth and got dressed in her work uniform. As scared as she was, Emma knew that she had to tell Jay the truth. Emma walked towards the bed and shook Jay awake.

"Hey baby," Jay mumbled, sleepily.

"I'm going to work now," Emma told him.

"Okay, baby," Jay said.

"Can you meet me for lunch at around three?" Emma asked.

"Sure," Jay said.

Emma leaned down and gave Jay a kiss.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," Jay said.

After saying goodbye, Emma left the room as Jay went back to sleep. She headed outside to her car and drove to work. Emma worked for several hours until 3:00PM arrived; it was a very warm and sunny afternoon. So, when Jay called her to meet for lunch, they decided to eat at a local park and enjoy the outdoors. As a hardcore nature-lover, Emma's favorite spot was a bench by the pond where the ducks and geese gracefully swam around. She and Jay sat there together eating leftovers from what Emma cooked the previous night.

"Baby, I have something to tell you," Emma said.

"Me too," Jay said.

"You go first," Emma told him.

"I just had a talk with my Uncle Miles about an hour ago," Jay reported."He told me that my grandmother passed away last night."

"Oh my God," Emma gasped."Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I barely even knew the woman," Jay replied."I haven't had much contact with them since my mom died. I was just a kid. My parents separated before she died and I was raised by my dad."

"Honey, I'm really sorry to hear that," Emma sympathized.

"The last time I saw them was almost fifteen years ago when me and Manny got married," Jay continued.

"Oh yeah, I do remember your grandmother being at the wedding," Emma said.

"My grandmother, my uncle and a few other relatives were there," Jay told her." They all live in Moncton. My Uncle Miles went through a lot to find me. He searched the internet for my address and phone number. He found my name under Manny's residence, so when he called, Manny gave him my cell phone number."

"Oh," Emma said.

"I wanted to move in with you today," Jay told her."But it's going to be two weeks. The funeral is on Tuesday and my flight to Moncton leaves tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Emma said."You're staying in Moncton for two weeks?"

"Yeah," Jay replied.

"I'm going to miss you," Emma told him.

"I know," Jay said."Towerz and Keisha went away last night. They're going somewhere to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary, so I'm going to be staying at the hotel by the airport tonight."

"Which one?" Emma asked.

"The new one," Jay replied.

"Hotel Stone?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Jay said.

Emma held Jay's hand and rubbed it to comfort him.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Jay asked.

"Jay, I feel horrible," Emma sighed."You already received some bad news and I hate to add more bad news on top of that."

"What is it?" Jay braced himself.

"Last night when Sean came over to get the rest of Dakota's things………….we slept together," Emma confessed.

Jay was shocked. He pulled his hand away from Emma's and stared angrily at the pond.

"Jay, I'm so sorry," Emma told him.

"I can't believe this shit," Jay growled.

"I wanted to tell you right away," Emma told him."I didn't want to keep it a secret for too long."

"Am I not supposed to be pissed off just because you're being honest?!" Jay exclaimed, furiously."How could you do this to me? You just divorced Sean and all I ever did was try and comfort you and you're still not over that fucking bastard?!"

"I am over him," Emma said.

"So, why did you fuck him?" Jay asked, harshly.

"I just…I-I wasn't thinking," Emma stuttered.

"You're an idiot," Jay snapped.

"Jay, you have every right to be angry," Emma told him."But please don't call me names."

"You're no better than Manny is!" Jay yelled."Neither one of you give a shit about me. Why don't you just move in with her and Sean!"

"I told you I'm over Sean," Emma responded, tearfully."What do I have to do to prove it to you?"

"You don't have to prove anything to me," Jay argued."Just stay the hell away from me!"

Jay stood up.

"You see, this is EXACTLY why I wanted to be alone when Sean and I broke up," Emma stated.

"Say what?" Jay asked.

"That night we caught Sean and Manny having sex, I was so upset and you didn't even give me time to heal before you practically begged me to commit myself to you," Emma told him."I knew this was a mistake."

Emma noticed the hurt expression on Jay's face.

"Jay, I didn't mean it," Emma said.

"You know what?!" Jay yelled."It was a mistake! Like I said, stay the hell away from me. Have a nice life!"

Jay quickly walked away and Emma sat on the bench, heartbroken. She felt like such a witch for hurting Jay. He was so good to her and she betrayed his trust. She wondered if he could ever possibly forgive her.

When Emma's lunch hour was over, she headed back to the animal clinic and returned to work. The hours seemed to drag by as all she could think about was Jay. Many times, she felt like just going home, but it wouldn't have been fair to her patients. She had to perform a very critical surgery on a dog that day and there was no way she can reschedule it. The poor Dalmatian's life depended on that operation.

After what seemed like forever, Emma finally got off of work at ten o clock that night. The whole forty minutes it took her to drive home that night, she kept calling Jay's cell phone, but he refused to answer. When Emma arrived home, she pulled into the driveway. When she entered the house, she let the dogs relieve themselves in the backyard and then she made sure that their bowls were filled with food and water.

Once again, she tried to call Jay but he didn't answer. So, Emma left a message on his voicemail.

"Jay please," Emma sobbed."I need you to pick up the phone. Please call me back."

Emma started to cry but she tried to remain strong. She loved Jay so much and she didn't want to lose him over something so terrible. So, she just packed a night's worth of clothes and headed outside to her car. Even though it was nighttime, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and put on some sunglasses. When she got in her car she drove away. She was going to Hotel Stone, where Jay was staying at for the night. Will she win him back?


	36. You Got It All Over Him

{You got it all over him; you got me over him. Honey, it's true. There's just you; you must've been heaven-sent. Hearing me call, you went out on a limb. And you're all that he's not; just look what I got. 'Cause you got it all over him}(Emma's thoughts to Jay about Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by The Jets*

It took Emma almost an hour to arrive at Hotel Stone. She parked her car in the lot and walked into the hotel. The entire hotel was beautiful; both inside and out. Emma approached the front desk where customers checked in and out. A youthful-looking woman with a blond, stylish haircut and some trendy eyeglasses was working behind the counter.

"Hello, how may I assist you?" the woman asked.

"Hi, I'm looking for someone," Emma told her."Did a man by the name of Jason Hogart check into this hotel?"

"Are you related to this person?" the woman asked.

"Not exactly," Emma replied."He's my boyfriend. Would telling me what room he's staying in violate the hotel's policies?"

"Unfortunately, yes," the woman told her.

"Okay, thank you," Emma said.

"You're welcome," the woman said.

Disappointed, Emma turned around and started to walk away.

"Miss, wait a second please," the woman told her.

Emma turned back around.

"I happen to be very familiar with Jason Hogart," the woman told her."Obviously, if you're dating him, you must know him too. So, if you're someone that I know, I'd be willing to give you that information."

"I'm not sure if I know you," Emma stated.

She took her off her sunglasses so the woman can get a better look at her.

"Oh my God! Emma?!" the woman exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's me," Emma responded."Who are you?"

"It's me. Mia," the woman told her.

Emma screamed happily. Mia stepped from behind the counter and gave Emma a big hug. The two women embraced tightly. When they let go, they looked at each other.

"Oh my God; it's so good to see you!" Mia cheered.

"Same here," Emma agreed, excitedly."I thought you looked familiar, but your hair is a different color and much shorter now."

"I know," Mia said.

"Your hair was so long and beautiful," Emma told her."Why did you cut it?"

"I wanted to try something new," Mia said."You don't like it?"

"No, it looks great," Emma replied."That combined with your glasses gives you that elegant look."

"Thank you," Mia beamed.

"So, how's Isabella?" Emma asked.

"She's doing great," Mia told her."She just turned twenty and she's in college."

"Wow," Emma gasped."Time flies. I remember when she was a baby. As beautiful as you are, I can't believe you have an adult daughter."

"Well, I was basically a baby when I had her," Mia said.

Mia Jones attended Degrassi Community School as well. She was known as the teen mom and she had a terrible reputation because of it. She was also JT's girlfriend at the time of his death. Mia was now thirty-three years old.

"I haven't seen you since your wedding with Sean," Mia told her.

"Yeah, I know," Emma said."Peter caught the garter. Remember?"

"Yeah."

"Are you two still together?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, we got married six years ago," Mia told her."We have two sons together."

"Wow," Emma said, smiling.

"I wished I didn't lose contact with you and everyone else," Mia continued."I would have loved to see you all at the wedding."

"I know," Emma agreed."So, you work here?"

"No, Peter owns this hotel and I'm just covering for this girl that called in sick," Mia told her."He just bought this hotel after we moved back to Toronto; we've been living in LA for ten years."

"No wonder it's called Hotel Stone," Emma commented.

"Yeah, his career as a movie director is fantastic," Mia said."I get to stay at home with the kids. I'm really happy."

"That's great; I'm happy for you," Emma told her.

"So, enough about me," Mia said."What's going on with you? I thought you were married to Sean. You're dating Jay now? I thought he was married to Manny."

"Oh, that's such a long story," Emma sighed."I want to tell you everything but Jay and I have some problems we have to fix and I really need to see him right away."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Mia said."I'll give you the key to his room."

"Just give me all your contact information," Emma told her."We have to hook up some time so I can tell you about all the drama that went on since the last time we've seen each other."

"Totally," Mia agreed."By the way, Jay just stepped out for a bit."

"Okay," Emma said."Well, if you see him, don't tell him I'm here."

"Okay."

Emma and Mia exchanged cell phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses etc. After that, Mia gave Emma the key to Jay's room and they hugged again. After saying goodnight, Emma walked towards the elevator. She rode it up to the fifth floor and searched the well-decorated halls for room 502. When she found it, she inserted the key and stepped inside.

Emma turned on the light and looked around. She sighed, took a seat on the bed and waited anxiously for Jay. He had gone down to the hotel's fancy diner to grab something to eat. When he first checked into the hotel, he and Mia didn't make much conversation. He was just too upset.

When he was done eating, he took the elevator back up. Mia saw him go back up, but she respected Emma's wishes not to tell him she was up there waiting for him. When Jay entered his room; he was surprised. He saw Emma sprawled sideways on the king-sized bed, wearing a short, sheer white nightgown with nothing underneath. Heavenly-scented candles were lit everywhere and soft, romantic music was playing.

"Emma, how did you get in here?" Jay asked, surprised.

"Mia let me in," Emma replied.

Emma got off of the bed and walked up to Jay. Even though Jay was angry at her, he couldn't help but to notice how incredibly sexy she was looking in her lingerie.

"Jay, I just want you to know that I love you and I don't think I can handle you leaving me," Emma told him."I'm so sorry for what I did."

"I love you too but I'm not sure if I can forgive you," Jay said.

"Just give me one more chance, please," Emma said."I promise I'll never hurt you again."

Jay just shook his head. However, when he eyed her body and her lingerie again, he started to get stimulated.

"You're making this hard for me," Jay told her.

"I can't lose you, Jay," Emma stated."No one has ever made me feel the way you do. You're everything I want and need. Once upon a time, I felt the same way about Sean, but I don't anymore. I know I've said this before, but I've been in love with him since I was twelve years old. He's the only man I've ever truly loved until you and I got together. It wasn't until he and I were actually doing it last night that I realized that whatever feelings I had for him are completely gone. I wish I would've realized that sooner."

"I know how much Sean meant to you," Jay sighed."I guess I can't be mad at you for too long. To be perfectly honest, if it were me and Manny, I might've done the same thing. I've been over her for months though; but maybe being alone with her again would've put us in the heat of the moment."

"Well, I'm willing to let Sean and Manny be a thing of the past and I'm ready to love you the way that you love me," Emma assured him."All I want is you."

"Say it again," Jay said, sensitively.

"All I want is you," Emma said it again with deep sincerity.

A tear rolled down Jay's cheek. Suddenly, they started kissing each other passionately. Emma guided him to the bed and gently pushed him down. She climbed on top of him and started to undress him.

"Just relax, baby," Emma whispered."I'm going to take care of you."

They made love intensely and delightfully. Every touch of their hands, lips and tongue melted each other into one, big beating heart. The love they made that night was so beautiful that they actually cried. When they were done, Jay fell asleep in the arms of the woman he loved, happy and secure. Emma was so overjoyed to be with Jay; she finally appreciated who she loved the best. The troubles in her life were put to rest for that very moment.

"I love you, Jay."

Emma softly kissed his face, put her head on his chest and drifted off the sleep.


	37. For You I Will

{I will shield your heart from the rain; I will let no harm come your way. These arms will be your shelter; these arms won't let you down}(Emma's thoughts to Liberty).

*This chapter is named after a song by Monica*

When the sun rose up in the morning, the light seeped throw the window blinds and poured onto Emma's face. The brightness woke her up. She picked up her cell phone to check the time; it was 6:41AM. She turned to Jay and shook him awake.

"Baby, you have to get up," Emma told him."Your flight leaves in less than two hours."

Jay yawned and sat up. He wished he could have stayed there and just held Emma forever, but he knew how important it was to fly to Moncton and pay his final respects to his deceased grandmother. So, he and Emma took a shower and got dressed. By 7:15AM, they were checked out of the hotel. As they headed out to the parking lot, Emma glanced around.

"Honey, where is your car?" Emma asked.

"I parked it at Alex's house," Jay replied."She gave me a ride to the hotel last night."

"Okay," Emma said.

Jay followed Emma to her car and they both got inside. Emma started her engine up, put the gear in reverse and backed out of the parking spot. She shifted the gear back to drive and she drove out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"Why didn't you just save money and spend the night at Alex's?" Emma asked.

"Actually, my uncle paid for the hotel room and my plane ticket," Jay told her.

"Oh," Emma said."I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too, baby," Jay said.

It took Emma about five minutes to arrive at the airport. She pulled over and looked at Jay.

"Have a save trip, honey," Emma told him.

"I will," Jay said."I'll call you as soon as I get to Moncton."

"Okay," Emma said."I love you."

"I love you, too," Jay responded.

They kissed each other endearingly for several seconds. After saying goodbye, Jay stepped out of the car, removed his suitcase from the trunk and headed inside the building. Emma drove away and got back on the road. It was a beautiful day and she was glad that she had the day off of work.

When she arrived home, the first thing she did was take the dogs for a walk. When she was done, she brought the dogs back into the house and fixed herself some breakfast. She ate and then washed her dishes. Emma was still tired so she decided to go upstairs and take a nap. She undressed and climbed into the bed. The dogs, Penny and Jenny, hopped onto the bed with her and lied down.

"You two know you're not allowed on my bed," Emma told them.

However, she didn't even bother to get them off; they all just fell asleep on the bed. They slept until around one in the afternoon. After they woke up, Emma started thinking about last night. She was happy that Jay forgave her and she wondered if Liberty would do the same thing. Emma has tried many times to call her over the past five months, but Liberty didn't answer.

So, Emma dialed Liberty's cell phone. Her prayers were answered when Liberty actually answered this time.

"Hello?" Liberty answered.

"Liberty, I'm really glad you picked up this time," Emma said.

"Well, I can't be mad at you forever," Liberty told her."I'm still your friend."

"I'm happy to hear that," Emma said.

"Emma, I really want to see you, but I'm working right now," Liberty told her."Can you meet me at the Dot at four o clock?"

"Definitely," Emma said.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Liberty said.

They said goodbye and hung up. Emma felt even happier that Liberty was talking to her again. A little while later, she got dressed and watched TV until around 3:45PM. Next, she headed out to her car and it took her ten minutes to drive to the Dot. After parking her car, Emma stepped out of her car and saw Liberty waiting for her in front of the building. So, she walked over towards her.

Emma looked at Liberty's face and noticed the sadness in her eyes. Liberty has been terribly depressed ever since the humiliating, horrible incident occurred at her birthday party five months ago. Liberty suddenly started crying as she looked back at Emma. Emma grabbed her and hugged her tightly. Liberty's tears poured onto Emma's shoulder as distressing sobs escaped her throat.

"Liberty, don't cry," Emma told her, softly."I understand how hard these past few months have been for you; it's been hard for me too."

When Liberty finished crying, she removed some tissue from her purse and wiped her tears away.

"Let's go inside, sweetie," Emma said."You'll feel better when you eat something."

Emma and Liberty entered the Dot and ordered their food when they got seated at their table.

"Liberty, I'm really sorry for not telling you about Toby and Julian," Emma apologized."I was just confused as to who I should have been loyal too. You and Toby are both my friends, so that put me in a very awkward position."

"I understand," Liberty said."I would have forgiven you a lot sooner, but I've been swamped with work for these past few months. I had a few court cases to take, meetings to attend and clients to meet with. My life has been so hectic and stressful lately. I almost never get to see my kids."

"That's not good, Liberty," Emma told her."I know what Toby did to you was wrong, but he left you because you work too much. You can't keep stressing and overworking yourself just because Toby's gone. It's not fair to Ryder and Coral. They already watched their father leave; they need you to be there for them now."

"Toby picks them up every weekend," Liberty said."He's constantly apologizing to me and if he thinks I'm going to forgive him just because he broke up with Julian, he's completely mistaken."

"I understand how you feel," Emma told her."But you have to make more of an effort to be there for your kids."

"I know," Liberty sighed.

They sipped their water in silence for a few seconds before Liberty spoke up again.

"So, what has been happening with you for these past few months?" Liberty asked."I still can't believe Dakota betrayed you in front of the entire party like that. And Julian was a complete jackass for revealing your affair with Jay in front of everyone. Last thing I heard was that Jay and Sean got arrested for fighting each other. What's happened ever since then?"

Emma sighed and then told Liberty everything. She told her about finding out that Sean was sleeping with Manny again, Manny's pregnancy, her divorce with Sean, the court awarding Sean full custody of Dakota, her recent one-night stand with Sean, telling Jay about it and then making up with Jay last night. Liberty was shocked to hear all of this.

"Oh my goodness," Liberty gasped."Emma, I wish I could have been there for you. I was too wrapped up in my own misery to help you get through the pain you've been going through lately. I feel so selfish."

"It's not your fault, Liberty," Emma insisted.

"I feel awful," Liberty told her."I can't believe Dakota treated you the way she did. I can only imagine how hurt you were when the judge negated your custody of her and gave it to Sean."

"Yeah, I was very hurt," Emma said.

"Too bad I'm just a tax lawyer," Liberty sighed."If I was your divorce lawyer, there would have been no way that you would've lost custody of Dakota."

"Actually, I had a pretty good lawyer, but I guess the jury and the judge were just too moved by Dakota's love for her father," Emma stated.

"I can't believe your own daughter feels so negative about you," Liberty sympathized."Your heart must be broken."

"It is, but Jay has been really great," Emma told her."I love him so much and I felt so stupid for sleeping with Sean the other night. Jay has been there for me and he makes me really happy."

"Well, I'm happy for you," Liberty said.

"I want you to be happy again too, Liberty," Emma told her.

"Easier said than done," Liberty sighed."Depression is a killer."

"I know Toby hurt you, but you can't let this depression weaken you," Emma stated."You have to be strong for your kids and for yourself. Now, that we're friends again, I'm not going to let you continue to be down all the time."

"How are you going do that?" Liberty asked, unconvinced.

"First off, you need to tell the firm that you need more time to spend at home," Emma told her."You also need to spend more time with your kids. Their life is hard enough without their dad in the house anymore, even if they do visit him every weekend."

"You're right," Liberty agreed.

"As for you, you need to get out more and enjoy life," Emma continued."As a matter of fact, I have Friday off. Let's go out and have some fun that night. Since Jay is going to be away for two weeks, I can use something to keep my mind off of missing him."

"I'm not all about fun these days," Liberty insisted.

"Well, you NEED to be," Emma told her."And like I said, I'm not going keep letting you be depressed. Therefore, we're going out Friday night and I don't want to hear any excuses."

"Okay, fine," Liberty gave in.

"Good," Emma said.

"Emma, do you remember the time back in Degrassi when you and I used to be academic rivals?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied.

"Well, your strength was something that I knew I couldn't compete with," Liberty admitted."You just got a divorce and lost custody of your daughter yet you still have this desire to get on with your life and be happy."

"It's not always easy to be strong and I can understand that," Emma told her."That is why I'm your friend. You can turn to me for anything."

"I love you, Emma," Liberty said.

"I love you too, Liberty," Emma responded.

The two old friends smiled at each other brightly. When their waiter brought their food, they ate together. Emma told her that she ran into Mia last night at the hotel and Liberty was excited to hear that. Emma was very happy for the time being. Jay was the new love of her life and Liberty just forgave her. Emma understood Liberty's pain and she related it to her own pain. So, she was willing to be there for Liberty and support her emotionally through this difficult time.


	38. You Remind Me

{You remind me of a girl that I once knew. See her face whenever I look at you. Wouldn't believe all of the things she put me through. This is why I just can't get with you.}(Jay's thoughts to the fanfic's new character Melisa)

*This chapter is named after a song by Usher*

Jay arrived to Moncton and his Uncle Miles picked him up from the airport and brought him to his house, where he'll be staying for the next two weeks. He made sure that he called Emma to let her know that the plane got there safely. Later on in the evening, Jay was sitting with his Uncle Miles in the living room, looking through several photo albums. Miles was Jay's deceased mother's older brother; he was a retired college professor in his late sixties. Jay's mother and uncle were obviously two of the children that his grandmother had before she died.

"This is a picture of your mom back in 1986," Uncle Miles said.

"Oh wow, I look just like her," Jay commented, looking at the picture.

"You definitely do," Miles agreed.

"I don't have any pictures of her," Jay told him."My father does but I don't associate with that loser."

"I tried to warn my poor sister about that guy," Miles sighed."The only good thing that came out of that relationship was you."

Jay shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"Had I known he'd turn out to be such a crappy father, either I would've raised you or your grandmother would have," Miles said, regretfully.

"It's okay," Jay said.

"Before you go back to Toronto, I'll give you some pictures of your mother," Miles told him.

"Thanks," Jay said.

Uncle Miles's wife, Aunt Beatrice, entered the room.

"Gentlemen, dinner will be served shortly," she announced.

"Okay, honey," Miles said."We're going to wait for Melisa."

"Okay, sweetheart," Aunt Beatrice said.

She headed back into the kitchen.

"Who's Melisa?" Jay asked.

"She's been a friend of the family for a very long time," Miles replied."She's Kelly's best friend."

"Who's Kelly?" Jay asked.

"Kelly is my youngest daughter," Miles told him.

"Oh wow," Jay gasped."I can't even remember my own cousin's name."

"You'll see her at the funeral tomorrow," Miles reminded him."She attended your wedding,"

"Oh yeah, she did," Jay remembered.

"Speaking of wedding, what happened between you and your wife?" Miles asked.

"It's a complicated story," Jay sighed.

"Oh please, I've heard it all," Miles insisted.

"Well, five years ago my wife, Manny, was having an affair with my best friend, Sean," Jay explained."Sean's wife, Emma, was also Manny's best friend. When Emma and I found out about it, we were pissed but we forgave them eventually. Four years later, Emma and I started having an affair, but little did we know Sean and Manny started having an affair again too. When it was all revealed, Emma and Sean got divorced and I broke up with Manny. I plan to divorce her soon; she and Sean are together now and they're expecting a baby that could possibly be mine or his. As for Emma and me, we're together now and we're in love."

"I can't judge you," Miles told him.

"Well, I'm not ashamed of it," Jay said."I love Emma and as cliché as this may sound…..love conquers all."

"You're absolutely right," Miles agreed."I was in a somewhat similar situation. I dated this woman named Gail for eight years and we got engaged. I loved her and I thought she loved me. Your Aunt Beatrice was my best friend and she always gave me a shoulder to cry on whenever Gail and I had problems. One day, I found out that Gail slept with Beatrice's boyfriend, Clint. So, I called the engagement off and Beatrice dumped Clint. Gail and Clint never pursued a relationship like Manny and Sean did; I guess it was only a physical thing between them two. But Beatrice and I fell in love eventually. We got married and had three daughters. It's been thirty-eight years since we've been married and we're still happy together. Maybe you and Emma are destined to be together."

"I hope so," Jay said."I would really love that."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"You got it, Miles?" Beatrice called out from the kitchen.

"Yes, honey," Miles called back.

Jay followed his uncle to the front door. Miles opened the door and there stood a woman, who looked a lot like Manny. Jay was taken aback for a split second.

"Hi, Miles," the woman greeted him.

"Hi, Melisa," Miles said."Come on in; dinner's just about ready."

Melisa entered the house and gave Miles a hug. She was a young, attractive woman of a Hispanic background. She was short and petite with long straight black hair, pretty full lips and slanted, brown eyes……like Manny!

"Melisa, I'd like you to meet my nephew, Jason," Miles introduced them."Jason, this is Melisa."

Jay and Melisa shook hands.

"Nice to meet you, Jason," Melisa said.

"Same here," Jay said.

A few minutes later, they all joined Beatrice at the table for dinner. The meal was scrumptious and Jay enjoyed it. Every now and then, Jay would glance up and catch Melisa staring and smiling at him. Jay thought she was very beautiful, but her stares still made him uncomfortable, so he tried to ignore it. After everyone finished eating, Jay offered to do the dishes.

"Oh no, Jason, I'll handle that," Beatrice insisted.

"Don't worry, Aunt Bea, I got it," Jay told her.

"Are you sure?" Beatrice asked.

"Positive," Jay replied.

"You're such a sweetheart," Beatrice commented.

"Yeah, my nephew's a great kid," Miles said.

Beatrice and Miles said goodnight and left the kitchen. Melisa approached Jay.

"Need some help?" she asked.

"No, I'm okay," Jay responded.

"Let me help anyway," Melisa insisted.

"Alright, I'll wash; you dry," Jay told her.

"Sure," Melisa agreed.

They started talking as they cleaned up.

"So Jason, where are you from?" Melisa asked.

"Toronto," Jay replied."And just call me Jay; I don't really like Jason."

"Okay, Jay," Melisa agreed."I've always liked Toronto; I've been thinking of moving there someday."

"It's okay, I guess," Jay said, nonchalantly.

"Do you have a wife?" Melisa asked.

"Yeah, but we're not together anymore," Jay replied.

"Oh, so you're single," Melisa said, flirtatiously.

"No, I have a girlfriend now," Jay told her.

"Not surprising," Melisa commented."Cute guys like you never stay single for long."

"Melisa, how old are you?" Jay asked."

"Twenty seven," Melisa responded.

"Well, I'm ten years older than you are," Jay said.

"No way!" Melisa exclaimed."You look about my age."

It was true. Jay, Emma, Sean, Manny, Toby and Liberty were all in their thirties and they all were still very attractive. Being physically fit, they could easily be mistaken for twenty-five.

"Well, thanks for the compliment," Jay said.

"All the hot, older men are taken," Melisa sighed.

Jay didn't want to respond to that flirtatious remark, so they continued to wash the dishes in silence. When they were finished, Jay started to walk away, but Melisa stopped him.

"Do you want to hang out tonight?" Melisa asked him.

"No thanks," Jay said."The funeral is tomorrow and I need to get some sleep."

"Okay," Melisa said."So, while you're here, I'd like to show you around Moncton."

"I guess that'll be okay," Jay shrugged.

"I'll be at the funeral tomorrow," Melisa told him."Your grandmother was the sweetest lady in the whole world. I really loved her."

"Yeah, I heard," Jay said.

"Okay, I'm going home now," Melisa said."Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Jay said.

Melisa smiled at him and walked away. She said goodnight to Miles and Beatrice on her way out.

Damn, this girl looks so much like Manny, Jay thought.

Later, Jay headed upstairs to the room he was staying in and watched TV for a while. When he started to get tired, he called Emma to say goodnight and then he went to sleep.


	39. Troubles Of The World

{I soon will be done with the troubles of the world. I'm going home to live with God. No more weeping and wailing. I'm going home to live with my Lord}

*This chapter is named after a song by Mahalia Jackson*

(FINAL THOUGHTS OF JAY'S GRANDMOTHER; MAY SHE R.I.P.)

Jay woke up in the morning, showered and got dressed in appropriate funeral attire. Beatrice fixed a light breakfast for everyone and then they headed out the door. The funeral service for Jay's grandmother, Louisa Tuchman, was held at the Protestant Church that she has been a lifelong member of. She was ninety-two years old when she died peacefully in her sleep.

Her husband, Jay's grandfather, died in 2001. She had three sons and Jay's mother, Janet, was her only daughter. Besides Jay, she also had seven other grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, all of whom attended the funeral. Louisa's funeral was crowded with people who came to pay their final respects. Everyone at the funeral cried their eyes out, even Melisa.

However, Jay couldn't bring himself to tears simply because he hasn't been a part of his grandmother's life much. He believed everyone when they said that she was a wonderful person, but he wished he had the opportunity to experience it for himself. After the funeral service was over, Jay stood outside the church exchanging comforting hugs with his relatives and friends of his grandmother.

At the burial, one of Louisa's dearest and closest friends, Mabel Ward, sang Mahalia Jackson's "Troubles of the World". She was an eighty-one year old black woman who came to Canada in 1962 as a widowed mother of two to escape the bitter racism in the southern United States after her husband was brutally killed by KKK members. Louisa was very kind to this woman and she helped her establish herself. They were truly friends to the end.

That evening, Beatrice and Miles hosted a dinner get-together at their house to celebrate the life of Jay's grandmother. They talked and mingled together. They all seemed like very nice people and even though this was his family, Jay hardly knew them. However, he was still happy to be there.

Later on, all of the guests went home except for Melisa. Jay helped his Aunt Beatrice clean up the kitchen. When they were finished, Jay headed upstairs. He noticed that the bathroom door was just barely closed, but he still lightly knocked on it. When he didn't hear a response, he entered the bathroom.

Suddenly, he saw Melisa step wet and naked out of the shower. Jay gasped and quickly pulled the door shut.

Oh shit, Jay thought.

Jay wondered if Melisa realized that she didn't close the door all the way. He felt a tinge of embarrassment as he felt an erection develop in his pants. However, he knew it wasn't his fault; he couldn't help that he found Melisa attractive. He decided to shower in the morning instead.

A couple of minutes later, Melisa stepped out of the bathroom with a short, white robe on and slippers.

"Melisa, I swear I didn't know you were in there," Jay explained himself.

"I really don't mind," Melisa insisted.

"Well, I do," Jay told her."I have a girlfriend and she's the only one I'm supposed to see naked."

"I'm sure a lot of my customers have girlfriends and wives too," Melisa stated."You know how men are."

"What customers?" Jay asked, curiously.

"The ones at this club I work at," Melisa replied.

"So, you're a……" Jay started to say.

"Yes, I'm a stripper," Melisa admitted, boldly.

Jay wished he didn't ask.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with making money," Jay said."You gotta eat just like everyone else."

Melisa grinned at him seductively, making Jay uncomfortable. Even though Jay wanted her to stop smiling in his face, he was glad that she didn't lower her eyes to his crotch. His erection was still there.

"I'll talk to you later," Jay said.

Jay started walking towards his room.

"Jay?" Melisa said.

Jay turned around to see what she wanted.

"Would you still like for me to show you around Moncton?" Melisa asked.

"Um…sure," Jay replied, hesitantly.

"Great," Melisa said."Let's go to Magic Mountain Water Park tomorrow."

"Okay," Jay agreed.

"Goodnight," Melisa said.

"Goodnight," Jay responded.

Jay walked towards his room and opened the door. When he stepped in the room, he turned around and saw Melisa still staring at him. She waved at him, but he just closed the door. Jay called Emma and talked to her for a little while. An hour later, he hung up with her and watched TV until he fell asleep. At around eight o clock in the morning, Jay joined his aunt, uncle and Melisa for breakfast.

Later on that afternoon, Jay grabbed some swimwear and followed Melisa out to her car. It was a very hot day and Jay was actually looking forward to a good swim. Melisa drove with Jay in the passenger's seat, Jay was about to ask her for permission to smoke in her car, but she pulled out a cigarette of her own and lit it. Jay took that as a yes and lit up his cigarette. They didn't do much talking during the drive; Melisa just played some reggaeton music and sang along to it. A little while later, they arrived at Magic Mountain Water Park.

After paying their entrance fee, they headed to separate locker rooms to change. Jay put on a pair of dark blue swimming trunks and some flip-flops. He left the change room and waited outside for Melisa. When she came out of the women's locker room, Jay was stunned at what she was wearing. She was wearing a red bikini that revealed a lot of her cleavage. Jay stared instinctively at her firm, perky breasts.

Melisa's laughter snapped Jay back to reality. He blushed with embarrassment; Melisa knew what he was staring at. For the next few hours, they went swimming, rode the water rides, and played a few games. When they got hungry, they ordered some chili-cheeseburgers and lemonade. They each took a seat on a beach chair, talking and eating.

"So, let me get this straight," Melisa said."Your girlfriend was married to your ex-best friend, your ex-best friend is dating your wife, your wife is pregnant and she's not sure who the dad is?"

"Yup," Jay responded.

"Wow, that's an interesting story," Melisa commented.

"I can't believe I told you all of that," Jay sighed.

"Why?" Melisa asked.

"Because I barely know you," Jay said.

"Well, your family knew me almost my entire life," Melisa told him."So, that kind of makes us family too."

"Family, eh?" Jay said."Why don't you remember that the next time you try and hit on me?"

Melisa laughed but Jay was serious.

"I wish your family was my real family," Melisa sighed."I love my parents but they gave me such a hard time all my life. They were super religious and super conservative Catholic Colombians. They were so demanding and strict and it drove me crazy. My older brothers, on the other hand, were able to do whatever they wanted. I guess they felt they had to be stricter with me since I was the girl. They didn't approve of my friendship with Kelly. When they found out I lost my virginity to your cousin, Ryan, my father kicked my ass and he forbade me to go anywhere except school and church. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore, so I moved in with your aunt, uncle and Kelly when I was sixteen. To this day, I don't have a very close relationship with my parents."

Jay couldn't judge her. He lost his virginity when he was only thirteen and he's had many, many sex partners throughout his lifetime. However, he was a little disturbed to know that Melisa slept with one of his relatives and now she was trying to hit on him.

"Your family has been so great to me, especially your grandmother," Melisa continued."I am so going to miss that lady."

"At least you got the chance to get to know her," Jay stated."I wasn't so lucky."

"You shouldn't feel sorry yourself though," Melisa told him.

"I won't," Jay said.

By the time Jay was halfway done with his burger, he was full.

"You're going to eat that?" Melisa asked.

"No," Jay replied."Do you want it?"

"Yeah."

Jay handed her the remaining of his cheeseburger. As he watched her chomp it down, he wondered how she could eat so much and maintain such a perfect body. However, he decided not to ask. He knew that Melisa would give him some outrageously raunchy response.


	40. Yo Excuse Me, Miss

AUTHOR'S NOTE: ONCE AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY READERS FOR THEIR UNYIELDING SUPPORT, BUT BEAR WITH ME. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN SEAN, JAY, EMMA AND MANNY'S STORYLINE, BUT AS STATED BEFORE, LIBERTY IS A MAJOR CHARACTER IN THIS STORY. THE SUBPLOT IS ABOUT HER AND IT RELATES TO THE MAIN PLOT. AND YES, I ADDED ANOTHER NEW CHARACTER. THEY'RE NOT HERE JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT; THEY SERVE THEIR PURPOSE. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER, BUT IF YOU DON'T, PLEASE BE A DEAR AND REVIEW IT ANYWAY. THANKS!

{I don't know your name but excuse me, Miss, I saw you from across the room. And I got to admit that you got my attention; you're making me want to say yo. I know you're trying to leave but excuse me, Miss, I saved the last dance for you}(The new character Xavier's thoughts to Liberty)

Friday night arrived and Emma and Liberty both agreed to hang out at this club called "Slide Palace". Liberty got off of work at eight o clock and she drove home. When she arrived home, the twins met her at the door.

"Hi Mom," they greeted her.

"Hey guys," Liberty said."What are you still doing here? Your dad was supposed to pick you up for the weekend."

"I'm in here, Liberty!" Toby called from the living room.

Confused, Liberty stepped into the living room and the twins followed her.

"Hey, how was work?" Toby asked.

"How long ago did you get here?" Liberty asked, sharply.

"I got here at six like I told you I'd be," Toby replied.

"So, what are you still doing here?" Liberty demanded."You suddenly decided not to take the kids?"

"Chill out, I'm still taking them; I just wanted to wait for you to get home so we could talk," Toby told her.

"I don't want to talk to you," Liberty snapped."What part of that don't you understand?"

"All I keep trying to do is apologize," Toby said.

"You can waste your breath apologizing until you're blue in the face, but I'm not accepting it," Liberty insisted.

"Liberty, I love you and I'm miserable without you," Toby told her.

"You were obviously miserable when you were WITH me," Liberty stated."Otherwise, you wouldn't have left me for a man. A man that I considered a friend!"

"You're right; I was wrong," Toby admitted."I shouldn't have left you for Julian or anyone else for that matter. He's out of my life for good, but I already explained to you why I left. All I ever wanted was for you to spend time with me and the kids."

"Look Toby, I have plans tonight," Liberty told him."I don't have time to talk to you. Just leave me alone, take the kids and go."

"You have plans tonight?" Toby asked.

"Yes," Liberty retorted."Emma told me that I ought it to myself to have some fun. My world doesn't revolve around the firm and being depressed over your stupid ass anymore."

"Liberty, don't curse in front of the kids," Toby scolded.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Liberty argued.

"So, now you want to make time for fun?!" Toby exclaimed."Why couldn't you do that when I was still here?"

"Toby, just get the hell out of house!" Liberty snapped.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Toby demanded."We've been separated for five months; if you really didn't love me anymore, you would've filed for divorce already. That's what Sean and Emma did."

Liberty just glared at him coldly.

"Oh, let me guess; you don't have time to file for divorce," Toby taunted her."You're just too busy and too swamped with work."

"Toby, go to hell!" Liberty shrieked.

"Stop arguing!" Ryder yelled.

"Daddy please, let's just go," Coral begged, tearfully."Mom is upset."

"You better listen to your daughter, Toby," Liberty told him.

"Fine," Toby sighed."Let's go, guys."

The twins gave their mother a hug and then followed their dad out the door. As Liberty headed upstairs she heard Toby's car drive off. She was a little tired from work. She wished she could just stay home and get a goodnight's sleep, but she didn't want to bail out on Emma. So, she showered and got dressed in a sexy yet classy outfit. She and Emma were going to a club called "Slide Palace".

Liberty grabbed her car keys and headed outside. She got in her car and started driving. When she finally arrived at the club, she parked her car and met Emma in front of the building. Emma was well-dressed and she was standing there with a woman who was equally well-dressed. Liberty glanced at the woman's familiar face and gasped.

"Mia?" Liberty asked.

Mia nodded and smiled brightly. They rushed towards each other, hugged tightly and cheered excitedly. When they finished embracing, they took a step back and admired each other. It was hard to believe that almost eighteen years ago these two women couldn't even stand each other. Liberty was in a serious, loving relationship with JT Yorke and she was heartbroken when he started dating Mia after they broke up. Mia remained JT's girlfriend until he died. After his death, Liberty and Mia worked out their differences.

"Emma, you didn't tell me she was coming," Liberty stated, happily.

"I wanted to surprise you," Emma told her."I just had to see that look on your face. Classic."

The three women laughed and then waited in line to enter the club. When they finally got inside, their ears were greeted by loud music. People were getting down on the dance floor, talking, laughing and having drinks. Liberty, Emma and Mia found a table to sit at and they ordered some drinks. While they sipped their champagne, they discussed various events in their lives, laughed, joked and reminisced about old times in Degrassi.

Suddenly, they saw three very handsome and athletic-looking college boys heading their way. One of them had shaggy brown hair and blue eyes, the other one had reddish hair and the leader of the trio was the tallest. He was the only black guy and he had a fresh haircut with waves, nice dark eyes and a smooth, caramel-like skin complexion. He looked like a much younger version of Will Smith.

"How are you doing, ladies?" the leader asked.

"Fine," Liberty, Emma and Mia replied in unison.

"You all look great tonight," the shaggy-hair one complimented them.

The three women were flattered; they said thank you.

"Would you guys like to dance with us?" the redhead asked, politely.

"I'd love to, but I'm a married woman," Mia told him, displaying her ring.

"And I have a boyfriend," Emma added.

They all looked at Liberty to see her response but all she did was give a bashful smile.

"My friend Liberty, on the other hand……" Emma started to say.

"Emma, don't…" Liberty said, shyly.

"Come on, it's just a dance," Emma urged.

"Exactly," Mia agreed.

"So, why did you two turn them down?" Liberty asked.

"Because we're in relationships," Mia responded."You're single."

"I'm not as naughty as I look," the leader said, jokingly.

"You're a total flirt, aren't you?" Emma asked.

The leader smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"You know what?" Mia said, standing up."Come to think of it, there's no harm in dancing."

"Yeah," Emma agreed."Liberty, get a partner and come join us."

Mia and Emma headed out onto the dance floor with two of the guys. Mia starting dancing with the redhead guy while Emma was dancing with the shaggy-haired guy. The leader stayed behind and smiled at Liberty.

"So, you really don't want to dance?" he asked.

"You seem like a nice guy but no thanks," Liberty told him.

"Your name is Liberty, right?" the guy asked.

Liberty nodded.

"I'm Xavier; nice to meet you," he said.

He extended his hand and Liberty reluctantly shook it.

"Now that we've properly met, will you say yes if I ask you again?" Xavier asked.

"You look young," Liberty commented."How old are you?"

"Twenty-one," Xavier replied.

"I thought so," Liberty said.

"How old are you?" Xavier asked.

"It's impolite to ask a lady her age," Liberty told him.

"Sorry," Xavier apologized.

"It's okay," Liberty said.

"Honestly, I don't care if you're eighty; I just really want to dance with you," Xavier stated.

"I'm thirty-four," Liberty responded.

"And you look beautiful," Xavier complimented her.

"Thanks."

"Now, I'll ask you one last time and then I'll leave you alone," Xavier said."Will you dance with me, please?"

Liberty sighed and said."Okay."

A smile flashed across Xavier's face as he extended his hand. Liberty took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor with Emma, Mia and the other two guys. The six of them had a surprisingly amazing time dancing and grinding. The DJ played everything from hip-hop to techno. Everyone in the club was having a ball.

The guy that Emma was dancing with was very funny, he continuously made her laugh whenever he cracked a joke and did a silly dance move. He respected the fact that she was in a relationship and didn't try to hit on her. The guy that Mia was dancing with also respected the fact that she was married. In fact, he was really excited when she told him that Peter Stone, the movie director, was her husband. She wanted to be discreet about it to avoid having the entire club begging her for autographs.

Liberty and Xavier was having the most fun. Liberty loosened up a little and danced freely. At some point that night, they all went to sit down for a drink. Instead of joining Emma, Mia and the other two guys at their table, Liberty and Xavier found a table of their own.

They actually had a decent conversation; Liberty was actually impressed with how intelligent he seemed to be for his age. It turns out that the guys that Xavier came to the club with were his roommates and they all attended Toronto University. However, they all shared an apartment instead of the traditional dorm room. Xavier's lifelong dream was to be a professional basketball player, but as a backup plan, he was going to be lawyer. That impressed Liberty even more being that she's a lawyer. Surprisingly, when Xavier asked for her cell phone number, she gave it to him. However, she was still slightly uncomfortable with their thirteen-year age difference.

Several hours later, they all decided to go home. Liberty, Emma and Mia thanked the guys for a good time, said goodnight and parted ways. While Liberty and Emma were both driving home, they chatted with each other on their cells.

"So Liberty, you and that young guy really hit it off," Emma commented.

"Oh please, I am not thinking about him in that way," Liberty insisted.

"Yeah sure," Emma teased.

"Whatever," Liberty muttered.

"He was really cute though," Emma said.

"Yeah, he was," Liberty agreed."I can't lie about that."

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," Emma told her."It's nice to see you smiling again. You deserved it."

"Thanks, Emma," Liberty said.

After saying goodbye, they drove home.


	41. Red Light Special

{I know that you want me; I can see it in your eyes. You might as well be honest 'cause the body never lies. Tell me your secrets and I'll tell you mine. I'm feeling quite sexy and I want you for tonight.}(Melisa's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by TLC*

The rest of the time that Jay spent with Moncton, he and Melisa spent a lot of time together. They went to the movies, swimming, clubbing and even miniature golf. However, Jay had the most fun when they went to see a play at the famous Capitol Theatre. He wished Emma was there; she would have loved it. Two weeks seemed a lot like two years and Jay missed her a lot. When Jay's grandmother died, she had a will and she left Jay some money. He was sure to deposit it into his savings account when he got home.

Melisa continued to flirt with him but Jay tried to ignore it. However, it was getting very difficult to resist her, but Jay controlled himself. Melisa was not as trashy as she appeared; she was actually very intelligent and educated. She graduated from college four years ago and she wanted to become a teacher someday. However, she has been stripping for nearly seven years. Being one of the most desired exotic dancers at the club she worked at, she has grown too accustomed to the huge tips she received.

On a Thursday night, Jay was planning to go back home the next day. He had dinner and chatted with his aunt and uncle for a while. At 10:00PM, he said goodnight and headed upstairs to the bathroom. After taking a cool, soothing shower, he headed towards his bedroom. Before he had a chance to go inside, he heard Melisa call his name. She was in another bedroom, but her door was closed. Jay walked over to see what she wanted.

"What is it?" Jay asked, through the door.

"Come in," Melisa told him.

Jay opened the door and stepped into the room. His eyes widened with surprise when he saw Melisa sitting on the side of the bed wearing a black bra, a black garter skirt and black v-string panties. Her fair skin shined with the expensive, sweet-scented lotion she had on.

"Should I let you get dressed?" Jay asked.

"No, I always sleep like this," Melisa replied."I'm about to go to sleep; I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Well, goodnight," Jay said.

Jay attempted to walk away.

"Jay, wait," Melisa said.

Jay turned back around.

"Shut the door; I want to talk to you," Melisa told him.

Jay sighed and shut the door.

"Come over here and sit next to me," Melisa said.

Jay reluctantly walked towards the bed and sat next to Melisa. She put an arm around him, leaned towards him and started softly kissing his neck. Jay quickly pulled away.

"Hey!" he exclaimed."What do you think you're doing?"

"This is your last night here," Melisa responded."You're going back to Toronto tomorrow."

"I know that," Jay said, sharply."I'm going back to my girlfriend tomorrow. Do you keep forgetting that I'm in a relationship?"

"No," Melisa replied.

"So, why the hell do you keep hitting on me?" Jay asked.

"Because I like you, Jay, and I'm attracted to you," Melisa told him."I can tell you're attracted to me too, whether you want to admit it or not."

"Maybe I am," Jay admitted."But I can't go there with you. I love Emma too much."

"She doesn't have to know," Melisa said.

"It's still not right," Jay insisted.

"Jay, we probably won't see each other again after you leave," Melisa stated."This isn't going to be another affair you're getting into because we can't really have an affair if we live so far apart."

Jay just sighed. Melisa's offer was getting more and more tempting.

"Don't you want to take advantage of this one-time opportunity?" Melisa asked.

Jay's mind was telling him no, but his body was saying "hell yeah". Unfortunately, he gave in to temptation. He and Melisa started making out intensely.

Excitement exploded all throughout his body as he kissed Melisa passionately. As she laid back on the bed, she gently pulled Jay down on top of her. Jay felt Melisa's body heat up beneath him as they continued to make out. Aroused beyond control, he delicately sucked on her neck and cleavage. He kissed his way from her belly down to her waist. Next, he reached under her garter skirt, grabbed her panties and slowly slid them off her legs. Jay started kissing her inner thighs as he fondled her breasts.

"Aye Papi, me gusta," Melisa murmured in Spanish.

Jay was getting turned on even more. He was about to take his shirt off, but he changed his mind. An image of Emma's teary face suddenly popped into his head. He could almost feel her heart break if she was to ever find out what he was doing. So, he decided not to proceed. Melisa noticed the blank expression on his face.

"Jay, what's wrong?" Melisa asked.

"I can't do this," Jay sighed.

He got off of the bed and stood up.

"Come on, Jay," Melisa complained."We already started."

"Well, this shit is wrong and I'm not going to finish it," Jay insisted.

"We were THIS close," Melisa stated.

"Too bad," Jay retorted.

"You pussy," Melisa snapped.

"What?!" Jay exclaimed.

"You heard me," Melisa snarled.

"I'm not a pussy just because I want to be faithful to my girlfriend," Jay stated, angrily.

"Yeah, we'll see how long you can pull that off when another chick comes along," Melisa commented.

"Whatever, Manny," Jay muttered.

"Manny?!" Melisa exclaimed."Did you just address me by your wife's name?"

"Melisa," Jay corrected himself.

"Be honest, are you really turning me down because you want to be true to your girlfriend or is it because you're not over your wife?" Melisa asked.

"Melisa, you don't know what the hell you're talking about," Jay argued."I am over Manny. I got over her because I love Emma. That's why I'm turning you down."

"Forget you then," Melisa snapped."I can have any guy I want, any time I want. If you don't want to fuck me, that's your loss."

"You know what?" Jay growled."Just stay the fuck away from me! When I leave tomorrow, don't even bother saying goodbye."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Melisa apologized.

Jay just ignored her and stormed out of the room. He headed into his room and shut the door. Horny and frustrated, Jay threw himself onto the bed and punched the pillow. Part of him wished he could be the "old Jay" and sleep with Melisa, but he knew it was wrong. He was committed to being a better man. He cursed himself silently and then picked up his cell phone. He called Emma and she picked up after five rings.

"Hello?" she answered, groggily.

"Hey baby, were you sleeping?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, but I'm glad you called," Emma said.

"I'm sorry, baby," Jay told her."I was just spending some time with my uncle and aunt since this is my last night in Moncton."

"Did you have a good time?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, they're really great," Jay replied.

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow," Emma said."I know it's only been two weeks but I really miss you."

"I miss you too," Jay told her."I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Emma responded.

They said goodnight to each other and hung up. As Jay lied back on the bed, he felt a little better. He was proud of himself for rejecting Melisa. One night of sex wasn't worth the risk of losing Emma forever.

Even if she never found out about it, he didn't want to carry that guilt in his heart for the rest of his life. Although Emma cheated on him with Sean two weeks ago, he understood why she did it. Sean has been the love of Emma's life for many years. They also had a marriage and a child. Jay, on the other hand, didn't even know Melisa that well.

Satisfied with himself, Jay turned off the lamp and went to sleep. He couldn't wait to go home to his lady tomorrow.


	42. I Don't Want To Do Anything Else

{If loving you was all that I had to do, I don't want to do anything else}(Jay's thoughts to Emma)

{With every breath I breathe and every beat of my heart, I know that no one can tear us apart}(Emma's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Mary J Blige and KC Hailey*

At nine o clock in the morning, Jay woke up and headed to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, showered and got dressed. He had a great time in Moncton, for the most part, but he was readier than ever to get back home. He regretted meeting Melisa but he was glad that he had enough self-control not to sleep with her. He almost cheated on Emma last night and it just wasn't worth losing her.

Jay walked downstairs to the kitchen and joined his uncle, aunt and Melisa for breakfast. He chatted with his aunt and uncle but Melisa remained quiet for the most part. She was obviously too ashamed to even look at Jay. When they finished eating, Jay helped everyone clean up. Next, he headed into the living room and turned the TV on.

A few minutes later, Melisa came into the living room. She stood there and looked at Jay. She was wearing a casual, colorful summer dress and sandals. Jay pretended not to notice her until she spoke up.

"Jay, I'm sorry about last night," Melisa apologized.

He continued to ignore her and watch TV; he was still angry with her.

"I feel really bad," Melisa added.

Jay turned off the TV and glared at her.

"You should feel bad," he snapped."In fact, you should feel like shit. Not only did you try to seduce me even after I told you I had a girlfriend, you picked the worse possible to do that. I came here to mourn the death of my grandmother; do you have any shame? You should feel AWFUL!"

Jay's words stung Melisa and it brought tears to her eyes.

"I just wanted to apologize," Melisa stated, sadly."Have a safe flight back to Toronto."

She turned around and started to walk away.

"Melisa, sit down," Jay told her.

Melisa turned around and took a seat beside Jay on the sofa. Tears ran down her face.

"Look, I accept your apology," Jay said."Deep down, I know you're a much better person. You're smart; you're determined. But the way you present yourself is not attractive."

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Melisa cried."I try so hard to get guys to like me, but it only pushes them away. I haven't been in a serious relationship in years; I've just been going from guy to guy to guy and all they did was have sex with me a few times then bail."

"Well, I was only staying here for two weeks," Jay told her."I don't know what you expected to happen between us. Even if I did have sex with you, I wasn't going to leave my girlfriend."

"I know," Melisa sobbed.

"To tell you the truth, you remind me so much of my wife," Jay said."I thought you just looked like her, but you sort of act like her too."

"Is that why you slipped up and called me Manny last night?" Melisa asked.

"Yeah," Jay replied.

"Oh."

"Just like you, Manny also came from a strict, conservative family," Jay told her."She's Filipina. You're Colombian, right?"

"Yeah," Melisa responded.

"Manny had a bad habit of using her body to get men to love her," Jay continued."She's almost thirty-five and she still hasn't changed in that aspect. You still have time to change. You have to start respecting yourself if you want guys to respect you."

"Thanks Jay," Melisa said, drying her face."No guy has ever been so concerned with my feelings."

"Well, I'm not as perfect as you think," Jay admitted."I've done a lot of screwed up shit and broke a lot of hearts in the past. It wasn't until I married Manny that I changed a little bit. But when Emma and I got together; she changed me completely."

"That's good," Melisa said.

"Anyway, this may be the last time we see each other and I just want the best for you," Jay told her.

"Thanks, Jay," Melisa said.

They gave each other a friendly hug and smiled. Sometime in the afternoon, Jay gave his Aunt Beatrice a hug and promised to keep in touch. Jay and Melisa hopped into Uncle Miles's van and prepared to go. Melisa sat in the back and Jay sat in the passenger's seat as Miles drove to the airport. It took them about forty minutes to arrive there.

"Okay nephew, thanks for spending time with us all," Miles told him.

"Thanks for having me," Jay said.

"Anytime," Miles said."Have a safe trip."

"I will."

Jay gave his uncle a firm hug.

"Bye, Jay," Melisa said.

"Bye, Melisa," Jay said."Take care of yourself."

"I will."

Jay and Melisa hugged and gave each other a light kiss on the cheek. After that, Jay removed his luggage from the trunk and waved goodbye as they drove off. He turned around and entered the airport.

A while later, he boarded his plane and laid back as it took off into the sky. Jay rested his eyes for most of the flight. At around five o clock in the evening, the plane landed in Toronto.

Home sweet home, Jay thought.

Jay got off of the plane and headed inside the building. He collected his luggage and headed outside. Emma was at work, so she asked her stepfather, Archie, to pick him up from the airport. As Jay waited for his ride, he smoked a cigarette. A few minutes later, Archie pulled up in front of the airport. Jay flicked the cigarette away and then got into the car.

"Hey Snake," Jay greeted him.

"Hi Jay," Archie said."How are you?"

"I'm good and you?" Jay responded.

"I'm fine," Archie said.

He pulled away from the airport and drove onto the road.

"I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother," Archie told him.

"It's okay," Jay sighed.

"Besides the funeral, did you have a good time in Moncton?" Archie asked.

"Yeah, I had a great time," Jay replied."I want to take Emma some day. I want her to meet my family. Moncton's a really cool place."

Archie suddenly got quiet.

"You're still not totally comfortable with us being together, huh?" Jay asked.

"Don't get me wrong, Jay, I know Emma loves you and I believe you love her too," Archie stated.

"I do," Jay assured him.

"After everything that went on with Sean and Manny, I'm a little uneasy about this," Archie admitted.

"I understand that Emma is your stepdaughter and you want to protect her," Jay stated."But I really love her and I promise you I'll never hurt her."

"Easier said than done," Archie commented.

"What makes you say that?" Jay asked, disappointed.

"I just think you and Emma got together for the wrong reason," Archie told him."Just because Sean and Manny got together, that doesn't mean that you and Emma had to do the same thing."

"Like I told Emma and everyone else, it's not about Sean and Manny," Jay insisted."It's about me and Emma. What I feel for her is genuine and I don't want you or anyone else doubting that."

"Jay, I'm not trying to argue with you," Archie said.

"I'm not arguing," Jay said.

"Okay, so just listen to me," Archie told him."Emma has gone through a lot. She just had a painful divorce and she lost custody of her daughter. To add insult to injury, the woman who was supposed to be her best friend is pregnant and it's killing Emma because she doesn't even know if the baby belongs to her boyfriend or her ex-husband. Can you imagine how stressful that must be for Emma?"

"Of course I can!" Jay exclaimed."It's stressful for me too. Unfortunately, Manny and I are still legally married. If her baby turns out to be mine; we have to deal with each other for the rest of our lives. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less about her or Sean, but I'm sure this situation is stressful for them too. We're all stressed."

"All I'm saying is, I care about my daughter," Archie stated."I'm going to be really upset if she gets hurt again. Don't promise me you'll never hurt her because I'm not completely convinced. I mean no disrespect, but you and Sean have a lot in common. You have to promise HER that you'll never hurt her like he did; be a man of your word."

To avoid a potential argument, Jay just decided to be silent. He understood Archie's feelings, but he couldn't help but to feel insulted. He was especially offended that he compared him to Sean. They were quiet for the rest of the ride. Finally, Archie pulled up in front of Emma's house. Jay said goodbye, thanked him for the ride, grabbed his suitcase and headed into the house. Archie drove away.

Jay was greeted by the dogs. They haven't seen him in two weeks so they were very ecstatic. After Jay played with them for a while, he walked upstairs to the master bedroom and started unpacking. He was happy to be home and have the chance to live with his love. He also called Towerz to bring the rest of his things to him.

At around 10:00PM, Emma arrived home and called Jay's name. Jay quickly rushed down the stairs and grabbed Emma. They hugged and kissed each other crazily.

"Baby, I missed you so much," Jay told her.

"I missed you too," Emma said."Did you have a good time, honey?"

"Yeah, but I'm glad to be back," Jay said.

A few minutes later, they headed to the master bathroom and undressed. They turned off the lights, lit candles and filled the bathtub up with lavender-scented foam. They relaxed in the hot, soothing water. Emma leaned her back against Jay's chest as he put his arms around her. They talked for a while and Jay brought up the conversation he had with her stepfather earlier. Emma was not happy about that at all.

"I am so disappointed in him," Emma said."He and I need to talk."

"I was disappointed too," Jay told her."But I'm sure he means well."

"I know he does," Emma stated."But I'm not fifteen anymore. He has to learn to let me live my own life and learn from my own mistakes."

"That's true," Jay agreed."It doesn't matter what anyone thinks though; if it has to be you and me against the world, our love is worth it."

"Baby, haven't you had enough of being against the world?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, but it'll be less troubling if I had you on my side," Jay told her."Forever I hope."

"Aww, I love you, Jay," Emma said.

"I love you, too," Jay responded.

They kissed each other tenderly. An hour later, they drained the bathtub, headed to the bedroom and made love all night long.


	43. She Wants You

{She wants you. And baby, I'm not fooled. She wants you so don't you play the fool. You say she's just a friend but I can see straight through. Baby, I'm not having it.} Emma's thoughts to Jay about Melisa)

*This chapter is named after a song by Kelly Price*

Emma and Jay slept until ten o clock in the morning. Emma was grateful that it was Saturday and she had that day off. She missed Jay so much over the two weeks he's been gone and she was very happy to have him back. The love they made last night was so wonderful that Jay felt it was worth the wait. The more he thought about it, the happier he felt that he turned Melisa down. They got out of the bed and took a shower together. Jay put on a tanktop and pajama bottoms. Emma put on a T-shirt and sweatpants. After that, they headed downstairs.

"I'm going to walk the dogs," Emma told him."I'll make breakfast when I get back."

"Don't worry, baby," Jay said."I'll make breakfast."

"Okay," Emma agreed.

She gave him a quick kiss, put a leash on Penny and Jenny and walked out the door. Jay headed into the kitchen and got breakfast started. Emma took the dogs for a half-hour walk. It was sunny and hot outside. When she was finished, she brought them back into the house. By the time she headed into the dining room, Jay was placing their breakfast plates on the table.

"It smells good in here, baby," Emma commented.

"Thank you," Jay said.

They took a seat next to each other at the table and started eating. They talked for a little while as they ate their food.

"Do you work tonight, honey?" Emma asked.

"Unfortunately," Jay sighed.

"Well, at least we get to spend the day together," Emma said.

"Yeah," Jay said.

By the time they were finished eating, the doorbell rang and the dogs barked frantically.

"I'll get it," Emma told him.

As Jay collected their empty plates and glasses off the table, Emma headed towards the front door. When she opened it, she saw Melisa standing there.

"Hi, may I help you?" Emma asked.

"Hi, how are you?" Melisa asked."Is Jay around?"

"I don't think he was expecting anyone," Emma told her.

"Yeah, I should've called first," Melisa said."Sorry about that."

"I don't mean to be rude, but who are you and why are you asking for my boyfriend?" Emma asked.

"Oh, Jay met me in Moncton two weeks ago," Melisa replied."I'm a longtime friend of his family."

"O….kay," Emma said, suspiciously.

"My name is Melisa," she introduced herself."You're Emma, right?"

Emma nodded. Melisa extended her hand. Emma hesitated for a second and then shook it lightly.

"Baby, who's at the door?" she heard Jay call.

Jay walked towards the door and stood beside Emma. He was surprised to see Melisa.

"Melisa, what are you doing here?" Jay asked.

"Hey Jay," Melisa said, smiling."I know you just saw me yesterday but I had nothing better to do today so I decided to pay you a visit."

"All the way from Moncton?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Melisa chuckled.

"Let her in," Jay told Emma.

Emma reluctantly stepped back and let Melisa inside the house. The dogs immediately started sniffing at her, wagging their tails. Melisa politely petted them.

"Your dogs are so cute," she commented.

"Thank you," Emma murmured.

"Did you take a plane here?" Jay asked.

"No, I drove," Melisa replied.

"You're crazy!" Jay exclaimed."That's a long drive."

"I know," Melisa said."It took me hours to get here; but it was worth it."

Melisa flashed Jay a smile and Emma was not at all comfortable with it. She was definitely beginning to suspect something.

"I'm going to take the dogs for a walk," Emma decided.

"You just took them," Jay said.

"Well, I'm taking them again," Emma insisted, sharply.

She snapped the leashes on the dogs and headed towards the door.

"It was great meeting you," Melisa told her.

Emma just gave Melisa a small, insincere smile and walked out. As she walked down the street with the dogs, she started to wonder.

What the hell does this woman want with Jay? Emma thought.

Back in the house, Jay spoke up.

"Melisa, my girlfriend is clearly uncomfortable by your presence," he stated."And she has every reason to be. Seriously, why the hell are you here and how the hell did you get my address?"

"Your uncle gave it to me," Melisa told him." Look Jay, I want to make it clear to you that I am not here to come on to you or anything like that. What I tried to do in Moncton will stay in Moncton and we can put that behind us."

"Tell me why I'm not convinced," Jay stated, sternly.

"Jay, I will NEVER disrespect your girlfriend in her own house," Melisa assured him.

"Okay, but you still didn't answer my question," Jay said."Why exactly are you here?"

"Let's have a seat and talk about it," Melisa told him.

"No, I don't feel like sitting," Jay insisted."You're starting to make me nervous. Did you get in trouble with the law or something?"

"No, not at all!" Melisa exclaimed.

"So, what are you doing here?" Jay demanded.

"Jay, is it going to kill you to sit down?" Melisa asked."You're starting to make ME nervous now."

"Fine," Jay muttered.

They headed into the living room and took a seat on the sofa.

"This is a really nice house," Melisa commented.

"Melisa, don't beat around the bush," Jay scolded."I want to know why you're here and I'm not going to ask you fifty times."

"Okay, okay," Melisa chanted."I just thought about what you said yesterday and it really made me think. I'm ready to start a new life. I quit the strip club and I want to pursue my teaching career and fulfill my dreams."

"That's great but why did you have to come here to tell me that?" Jay asked."Did my uncle give you my number when he gave you my address?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you in person to avoid getting hung up on," Melisa replied.

"Enlighten me," Jay told her.

"I always wanted to live in Toronto and I was wondering if I can stay here just until I secure a job and find my own place," Melisa said.

"What?" Jay gasped.

"I already saved enough money to finance an apartment," Melisa continued."I just need time to actually look for one and I didn't want to spend unnecessary money on a hotel room."

"Melisa, my girlfriend will NOT stand for it," Jay stated, bluntly.

"All you can do is ask," Melisa told him.

"I already know what her answer's going to be," Jay insisted.

"Well, just ask anyway," Melisa shrugged.

"You haven't even asked for my approval about this," Jay stated.

"Okay, so do you approve?" Melisa asked.

Jay sat back quietly for a few seconds and thought it. He let out a sigh and then looked Melisa in the eye.

"Even though I've only known you for two weeks, my family knows you very well and they seem like they really love you," Jay spoke."Since they trust you so much, maybe I can do the same. So my answer would be yes."

"Thank you, Jay!" Melisa cheered.

"Don't get too excited," Jay advised her."It wouldn't be official until Emma says yes. This is her house and she has to get the final say on this."

"I understand," Melisa agreed.

"If she does say yes, you better be true to your word and respect her, me and this house," Jay told her.

"I will; I promise," Melisa assured him.

"Are you thirsty?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Melisa replied.

"What would you like?" Jay asked.

"Anything," Melisa shrugged.

Jay stood up, headed to the kitchen and came back with two cans of Sprite. They sat quietly on the couch, watching TV and drinking their soda. Thirty five minutes later, Emma returned with the dogs. She unsnapped their leashes and let them roam free. Jay headed towards the front door.

"Baby, can we talk?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, we definitely need to," Emma replied, sharply.

"Let's go upstairs in private," Jay told her.

They went upstairs to their bedroom and shut the door.

"Jay, I'm not the jealous type but I don't like the way that girl was looking at you," Emma stated.

"Baby, don't be so paranoid," Jay said.

"Some random woman rings my bell out of nowhere looking for you," Emma argued."You're damn right I'm paranoid."

"I told you that I met her in Moncton and she's a friend of my family," Jay told her."She's not just some random woman."

"I'm not blind, Jay," Emma retorted."Did something happen between you two in Moncton?"

"No!" Jay exclaimed.

"She wants you," Emma stated."I can sense it."

"Emma, she's just a friend," Jay insisted.

"What is she doing here?" Emma demanded."She just saw you yesterday."

"She's planning on moving to Toronto and she needs a place to stay until she finds her own," Jay told her.

"I don't think so," Emma scoffed."I don't even know this girl and you only met her two weeks ago."

"It shouldn't take long," Jay said.

"I don't care!" Emma exclaimed."You can deny it if you want to, but she has a crush on you. Now, she suddenly decides to move to Toronto and you expect me to take her in? You must be insane! Not to mention she looks a lot like that…..that bitch."

"What bitch?" Jay played dumb.

"Your stupid wife," Emma replied, sharply."Who do you think?"

"Emma, don't refer to Manny as my wife," Jay told her."We may still be legally married, but she's not my wife at heart anymore. You are."

"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Emma stated.

"What the hell's a matter with you?!" Jay exclaimed."Are you just freaking out because she looks like Manny? Is that what this is about?"

"Jay, don't patronize me," Emma snapped."I don't give a shit if she looked like Manny, Alex, Amy or anyone else you've been with. She is not staying here!"

Jay just licked his lips and looked at her with a sexy, seductive smirk on his face. Emma tried hard not to look fazed by it. Jay put his arms around her, pulled her closely and started kissing her neck.

"Jay, that's not going to work," Emma told him.

He slowly slipped his hand into her pants and started fondling a certain spot. Emma gasped and exhaled, pleasurably.

"Jay stop," Emma moaned.

"How much love do I have to make to you to prove to you that I don't want this girl?" Jay asked.

"You don't have to prove anything," Emma replied, in between moans.

Emma gently removed Jay's hand from his pants and stepped back.

"It's not you I don't trust, Jay," she told him."It's her."

"I understand, baby," Jay nodded."I really do, but I'll tell you what. If she tries to come on to me, I promise you I'll kick her out my damn self. I wouldn't even agree to let her stay if I thought she would do that."

Emma just sighed.

"What do you think?" Jay asked.

"Fine," Emma said.

"Thanks, baby," Jay said.

"I love you, Jay," Emma told him."Please don't make me regret this."

"I won't," Jay assured her.

They kissed each other tenderly and then Jay left the room. He went downstairs to tell Melisa Emma's answer. Emma stood there and wondered if she made the right choice. Jay worked hard to earn her friendship, respect, love and trust; she wanted him to know that she was loyal to him as well. After cheating on him with Sean, the least she could do was give him the trust he may possibly have lost for her when that incident occurred. Her logic was simple; if Melisa stepped out of line once, Emma was going to commence to "ass-kicking"!


	44. Overprotective

{Say hello to the girl that I am. You're gonna have to look through my perspective. I need to make mistakes just to learn who I am and I don't want to be so damn protected}(Emma's thoughts to Archie)

*This chapter is named after a song by Britney Spears*

Later on that evening, Emma prepared her infamous extra-cheesy, saucy veggie-lasagna for dinner. When she was finished, she started fixing plates. Jay and Melisa helped her set the table in the dining room.

"Baby, I have to put this in a container and eat it later," Jay said."I wish I could eat with you guys, but I'm running late for work."

"It's okay, honey," Emma told him.

Jay headed to the kitchen and dipped some of the lasagna into a plastic container. Before he left for work, he kissed Emma and said goodnight to both her and Melisa. So, Emma and Melisa sat at the dining room table eating. They were quiet for the first two minutes or so, until Melisa spoke up.

"This is delicious," Melisa told her.

"Oh, thank you," Emma responded.

They were quiet for another minute or so, until Emma spoke up.

"Listen, I apologize if I seemed a little unwelcoming this morning," Emma apologized.

"It's okay; I totally understand," Melisa said.

"I love Jay so much and I trust him," Emma told her."So, if he can trust you, I can too."

"Thank you, Emma," Melisa said.

"You're welcome," Emma said."While you're here, I can show you around Toronto and we can try to bond with each other."

"I'd really like that," Melisa agreed.

They smiled at each other.

"I know I said it already, but this lasagna is really good," Melisa commented."Maybe I should try being a vegetarian like you, but I just love meat too much."

"Well, Jay loves meat too and he still loves my cooking," Emma stated."Same thing with my ex-husband and my daughter."

"Sean and Dakota?" Melisa asked.

"Oh, Jay told you about them?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Melisa replied."He told me quite a bit, actually."

"What exactly did he tell you?" Emma asked.

"Everything," Melisa said.

Emma just sighed.

"Don't be mad at him," Melisa told her."If he thought he was ever going to see me again after leaving Moncton, I don't think he would have told me."

"I'm not mad," Emma insisted."It's just that….Jay and I got together under circumstances that I'm not very proud of."

"I understand," Melisa nodded.

"But I don't regret being with him," Emma added.

"True love doesn't always come to you in pretty packages," Melisa said.

"Yeah, all you can do is hope that what's inside that package is pretty," Emma stated."When I opened it; it was beautiful. Jay is amazing and I love him with all my heart."

"That's great," Melisa said.

She and Melisa chatted for a while longer until they finished eating. After washing the dishes, Emma headed upstairs to her bedroom and picked up the phone. She called her Liberty's cell phone. Liberty answered after four rings.

"Hey Liberty," Emma said.

"What's up?" Liberty responded.

"I was wondering if you'd like to hang out tonight," Emma said."There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"I'd love to, but I'm busy tonight," Liberty told her.

"Work?" Emma asked.

"No, I'm sort of hanging out with Xavier tonight," Liberty told her.

"Wow, Liberty has a new boyfriend," Emma teased her.

"No, we're just friends," Liberty insisted.

"We'll see how long that lasts," Emma commented.

"Oh please, I'm not trying to go there," Liberty stated.

"Whatever you say," Emma said."Have a good time."

"I will," Liberty said.

After hanging up with Liberty, she called her parents' house and her mother picked up.

"Hello?" Christine answered.

"Hi Mom," Emma said.

"Hi sweetie," Christine said.

"Is Dad there?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, hold on," Christine said.

She called for her husband and a few seconds later, Archie picked up.

"Hey Emma," Archie said.

"Hi, Dad," Emma said."I need to talk to you."

"Is everything alright?" Archie asked.

"Yeah, but I'm little upset about something," Emma told him.

"What is it?" Archie asked.

"Jay told me about the conversation you had with him when you picked him from the airport yesterday," Emma stated.

"Emma, I didn't mean to sound rude," Archie insisted.

"Jay loves me, Dad," Emma told him."Instead of having doubts, I wish you would just accept it."

"I'm trying to," Archie said."It's just that I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want Jay to get hurt either. You two can't use each other to get over the pain that Sean and Manny caused."

"We're not using each other," Emma insisted."We're in love."

"Are you sure?" Archie asked.

"Yes!" Emma exclaimed."Jay and I get along great, he's so amazing to me and it looks like he's going to be around for a while, maybe even forever. I just need your support."

"Emma, just be careful," Archie warned her.

"Dad, I've gotten my heart broken before," Emma said."If it gets broken again, I'll survive. I always do."

"Okay," Archie sighed.

"I know that you love me and I appreciate your concern," Emma told him."But no matter what, I'll be okay."

"Emma, you can always count on me," Archie assured her."So, if you're a hundred percent sure about this, I'm all for it."

"Thank you, Dad," Emma said."I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay, I love you," Archie told her.

"I love you, too," Emma responded.

After saying goodnight, Emma hung up. She was happy that she and her stepfather were able to clear things up before it turned into an ugly argument. She felt that Jay was worthy of her love and she wanted everyone in her life to support that.

Over the next six weeks, Melisa continued to stay with Emma and Jay as she searched for an apartment. It was now August and the bond between these two women grew stronger every day. The closer they got to each other, the more Melisa's crush on Jay began to diminish. Emma and Melisa were comfortable enough to talk to each other about anything. She introduced her to Liberty and Mia. The four of them hung together several times, having a great time. Emma also introduced Melisa to her parents and they took a liking to her right away. Archie was really impressed with Melisa's desire to teach. So, as principal of Degrassi, he offered to hire her as a substitute teacher until she lands a full-time teaching position. Melisa was very excited.

One Tuesday evening, Emma came home from work at ten o clock at night with a gloomy expression on her face. Jay was already at work. Emma headed into the living room and took a seat on the couch. Melisa was sitting at a desk, surfing the internet on the computer.

"Hey Emma," Melisa said."How was work?"

"It was okay," Emma sighed."How was your day?"

"It was good," Melisa replied."I found an apartment on the internet that I'm interested in. I spoke to the landlord earlier and he wants me to come check it out tomorrow."

"That's great," Emma told her.

"Are you working tomorrow?" Melisa asked."I'd like you to come with me to check it out."

"I'm only working from four to ten tomorrow; I have a doctor's appointment at one o clock," Emma replied.

"Well, that's great because I'm supposed to see the apartment at ten in the morning," Melisa said."That should be enough time."

"Yeah, I'll go with you," Emma agreed.

"Cool," Melisa said."So, are you feeling okay? Why do you have to see the doctor tomorrow?"

"My period is late and I think I'm pregnant," Emma revealed.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Melisa cheered.

"I'm not sure how awesome it is, Melisa," Emma sighed.

"Why not?!" Melisa exclaimed."You have an amazing man who is completely in love with you. How could you not be excited about this? Jay is going to so happy."

"It's not that simple," Emma said."Do you remember when I told you that I cheated on Jay with my ex-husband two nights before he went to Moncton?"

"You think it might be his?" Melisa asked.

"I don't know," Emma responded."Sean and I didn't use a condom that night. When Jay and I made up the very next night, we had sex and he didn't use one either."

"Oh shit," Melisa gasped.

"That was the first time Jay and I ever did it without using protection," Emma told her."And being that I slept with them both so close together in time, there's no telling which one is the father. They both have a fifty/fifty chance."

"Well, you don't know for sure, right?" Melisa asked.

"I've been pregnant before," Emma told her."I'm pretty sure that I am. My boobs are feeling sore too." "

Melisa didn't know what to say.

"I feel like shit, Melisa," Emma groaned.

Melisa stood up, walked over to the couch and sat down next to Emma.

"I'll go with you to your doctor's appointment tomorrow," Melisa assured her.

"Thanks, Melisa," Emma said."If the doctor confirms that I am pregnant, I don't know how I'm going to tell Jay."

"Well, he knows what you did with Sean, right?" Melisa asked.

"Yeah," Emma said.

"So, I'm sure he'll understand," Melisa stated."He has to."

Emma nodded. Melisa took her hand and rubbed it, comfortingly. Emma sincerely hoped that she wasn't pregnant. Such an issue would bring so many questions to mind. How would Jay react to it? How would Sean react to it? Manny is already nine months pregnant and she is due in a matter of days. How would Sean and Jay feel to know that there are now TWO pregnant women that they were BOTH sexually intimate with? And the most important question of all: Who is the father?


	45. The Reason

{I'm sorry that I hurt you; it's something I must live with everyday. And all the pain I put you through, I wish that I could take it all away}(Sean's thoughts to Manny)

*This chapter is named after a song by Hoobastank*

Jay returned home at three o clock in the morning. Worn out and exhausted, he went straight to bed. Emma woke up at seven in the morning feeling nauseous. Trying not to wake Jay, Emma got out of bed and bolted to the bathroom. Luckily, she made to the toilet in time to vomit. It was disgusting and somewhat painful. When she was finished, she flushed the toilet and headed over to the sink. She brushed her teeth to rid her breath of puke scent and washed her face. When she came downstairs, Melisa was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. Emma stepped into the kitchen to greet her.

"Good morning," Melisa said, cheerily.

"Good morning," Emma murmured.

"Are you okay?" Melisa asked.

"I actually puked this morning," Emma reported.

"Wow," Melisa gasped.

"I already know the doctor is going to tell me I'm pregnant," Emma sighed.

"Yeah, it definitely sounds like you are," Melisa stated.

"This sucks," Emma said, sadly.

"Emma, come on," Melisa said."You're having a baby. It should be considered a blessing."

"Yeah, but there's a possibility that it might be Sean's," Emma told her."We already have a child together and she's can't even stand me. If I am having a baby, I want it to be by the man I love and live with."

"Well, have you considered an abortion?" Melisa asked.

"No!" Emma exclaimed."I'm against abortion; I've always been."

"Okay, so that's why you need to get used to the idea of having a baby and get happy about it," Melisa stated.

Emma just sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"I'm already excited for you," Melisa told her."I had three chances to become a mother, but I aborted all of them."

"Really?" Emma gasped.

"Yeah," Melisa admitted."I regret it so much and I promised myself that if I ever got pregnant again, no matter what the circumstances are, I'm keeping it."

"Well, all I can do is hope for the best," Emma insisted.

"Exactly," Melisa agreed.

"I have to talk to Jay," Emma told her.

Melisa nodded. When breakfast was done, Emma headed to the bedroom to wake up Jay. Jay got out of bed, washed up and got dressed. He joined Emma and Melisa at the dining room table for breakfast.

"Melisa, can you eat in the living room?" Emma asked."I have to talk to Jay in private."

"No problem," Melisa agreed.

"Thanks," Emma said.

Melisa grabbed her plate and her glass of orange juice and left the dining room. Emma and Jay were alone in the dining room.

"What's going on, baby?" Jay asked.

"I'm 99.9% sure I'm pregnant," Emma replied.

Jay smiled happily.

"Don't get too excited," Emma warned him.

Jay's smile disappeared, nervously.

"It could possibly be Sean's," Emma said.

"Damn," Jay hissed."I almost forgot you slept with him."

"Believe me, Jay; I wanted to forget that happened too," Emma told him."But if I'm pregnant, there's no way I can."

"This shit is crazy," Jay grumbled.

"Jay, I know you how feel," Emma stated."But I need you to be a bit more comforting about this. I did not expect to wind up in the same position as Manny. If I am pregnant, there will be two babies that could either be yours or Sean's."

Jay was upset; he didn't respond.

"I have a doctor's appointment today; I'll let you know what he says," Emma told him.

She stood up and started to walk away, but Jay gently grabbed her hand.

"Baby, sit down," Jay told her.

Emma sat back down and looked at Jay.

"Look, I'm not mad at you," Jay said."Unlike Manny, you've been nothing but honest with me in this relationship. Even though I was upset when you slept with Sean, I'm glad that you were honest with me and you told me the day after it happened."

"Will you come with me to my appointment?" Emma asked.

"Of course, baby," Jay assured her.

After they finished eating, Emma took the dogs for a quick walk. A little while later Jay, Emma and Melisa headed outside to Jay's car. They drove to meet the landlord about the apartment that Melisa found on the internet. Melisa was very satisfied with it and she decided to move in the next week or so.

A couple hours later, they all went to Emma's doctor's appointment. Just as they all suspected, Emma was eight weeks pregnant. However, instead of getting discouraged, Emma decided to deal with it. She was grateful that Melisa and Jay were being so supportive. The next step was to tell Sean and Emma knew that wouldn't so easy.

Later on in the evening, Sean got off of work at 5:30PM. He got in his car and drove off. While he was driving, he was listening to loud rap music. Suddenly, his cell phone rang and he noticed Emma's number. Sean hasn't spoken to Emma since they had sex two months ago. He turned the radio down and picked up his cell.

"Hello?" Sean answered.

"Hey Sean, it's me," Emma said.

"Oh, hey Emma," Sean responded, unenthusiastically.

"How's Dakota?" Emma asked.

"She's doing good," Sean replied."Her eleventh birthday is coming up."

"Sean, I know how old my daughter is," Emma snapped."I was there when I gave birth to her, remember?"

"I was just saying," Sean said.

"Just because she doesn't call me or comes to see me anymore, it doesn't mean I forgot about her," Emma stated, sternly.

"How is that my fault?" Sean asked.

"As her father, you ought to encourage her to keep in contact with her mother," Emma told him.

"I don't have to force Dakota to do anything," Sean insisted.

"Sean, you are such an asshole," Emma snarled.

"Emma, I swear to God I'm going to hang up on you!" Sean snapped."I just had a long day at work and I'm not in the mood to argue with you over this bullshit."

"Whatever," Emma muttered."I didn't call you to argue; I have something to tell you."

"What?" Sean asked, nastily.

"I'm eight weeks pregnant," Emma told him.

Sean was stunned; he almost dropped the cell phone. He could not believe what he just heard. Suddenly, he snapped back to reality and pushed down on the brakes. He almost ran a red light.

"Hello? Sean, are you there?" Emma called out.

Sean placed the phone back to his ear."Yeah, I'm here."

"You're not the only one who's shocked," Emma said."Jay and I are a little upset too."

"You told him what we did?" Sean asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied."I told him the day after it happened."

"Damn, I still haven't told Manny," Sean sighed."I wanted to forget about it after it happened. I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to her."

"I don't mean to be insensitive, but that's not my problem," Emma stated.

"Emma, is there any way that it could be Jay's?" Sean asked, desperately.

"It's a strong possibility," Emma replied."But I don't know for sure. That puts me in the same boat that Manny's in."

"Well, thanks for telling me, I guess," Sean sighed.

"You had to know," Emma said.

"I have to go now," Sean told her.

"Okay, bye," Emma said.

"Bye."

After hanging up with Emma, Sean continued driving home. He pulled into the driveway a couple minutes later and parked his car. He stepped out and headed towards the front door. He entered the house and walked into the living room. Dakota was on phone, chatting and laughing with a friend.

"Hey sweetie," Sean greeted her.

"Hi Dad," Dakota said.

"Where's Manny?" Sean asked.

"She's upstairs," Dakota said.

As Dakota continued talking to her friend, Sean made his way upstairs and entered the bedroom. Manny was sitting on the bed, watching TV and eating Oreo cookies. She was nine months pregnant and huge.

"Hey baby," Manny said, smiling.

"Hey," Sean said.

"How was work?" Manny asked.

"Fine," Sean murmured.

"Are you okay?" Manny asked.

"Yeah," Sean said.

"Where's my kiss?" Manny asked.

Sean walked over to the bed and gave Manny a quick kiss on the lips. He walked over to the dresser and started removing his work clothes. He had a wifebeater and boxers underneath.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Manny asked."You look upset."

"I'm okay," Sean said, lowly.

Manny got out of the bed and waddled over towards him. She looked him in the face.

"Baby, tell me what's wrong," Manny said, concerned.

"Um..two months ago….when I went to Emma's to get the rest of Dakota's things……" Sean said.

"Yeah…." Manny said, nervously.

She had a feeling where this was going but she didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

"Um, yeah…." Sean mumbled.

He turned away; he couldn't face her.

"Sean, look at me," Manny told him, sternly."What does "um yeah" mean?"

"I'm sorry," Sean said.

"Sorry for what?" Manny demanded, loudly."What the hell did you do with her?"

"I slept with her," Sean admitted, painfully.

"You did WHAT?!" Manny yelled.

"Baby, I'm sorry," Sean apologized.

Disgusted, Manny turned around and walked away. Sean reached out and touched her shoulder; Manny turned around, enraged.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked."How could you do this to me?"

"Baby, you know I love you," Sean told her.

"I don't want to hear that shit right now!" Manny shouted."You're a fucking liar, Sean! You fucked your ex-wife behind my back and you waited two months to tell me!"

"Baby, you have to calm down," Sean said.

"Why the hell did you wait two months to tell me this?" Manny demanded.

"I wanted to forget about it…but I can't now," Sean replied."Emma's pregnant."

"Get the fuck away from me!" Manny shrieked."I hate you!"

Sean stepped towards Manny to calm her down, but she slapped him hard in the face.

"I said get the fuck away from me!" Manny yelled.

"I'm really sorry," Sean said.

"Just get out!" Manny screamed.

Manny felt a sharpness in her stomach; she winced in pain. Sean grabbed her and guided her to the bed. He helped her lie down and started rubbing her belly.

"Baby, are you okay?" Sean asked."Is it time?"

"No, it's not time," Manny snapped."And get your fucking hands off of me."

Sean respectfully removed his hand from her stomach.

"Just leave me alone right now," Manny started to cry.

"Okay," Sean said, softly.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek. He put on some jeans and then left the room. As he headed downstairs, his cheek was still stinging from that slap. Sean has been slapped so many times in his life and it was starting to drive him crazy. However, he knew he deserved it.

He walked out the door, got in his car and went for a drive to clear his head. Dakota was still on the phone, talking to her friend. She didn't seem to hear what was going on. Fifteen minutes later, she got off the phone and walked upstairs. On her way to her room, she heard soft crying coming from Manny's bedroom.

Concerned, Dakota stepped into the room. She saw Manny sitting on the edge of the bed, sobbing with tears running down her face. Dakota walked over and sat down next to her.

"Are you okay?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Manny replied.

"Why are you crying?" Dakota asked.

Manny didn't respond, she just continued to weep.

"Where's my dad?" Dakota asked.

"He just stepped out for a second," Manny told her.

"Did you two have a fight or something?" Dakota questioned.

"No," Manny lied.

"So, what happened?"

"I'm just a little emotional, sweetie," Manny said."When women are pregnant, we tend to cry a lot more often than usual. Sometimes we cry for no reason at all. It's a hormonal thing."

"That's weird," Dakota commented.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Manny sighed.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Dakota said.

"Thank you, sweetie," Manny said."I love you."

"I love you too, Mom," Dakota told her.

Manny smiled. She and Dakota hugged each other.


	46. To Zion

{I touched my belly, overwhelmed by what I had been chosen to perform. But then an angel came my way; told me to kneel down and pray. For unto me a man child would be born.}(Manny's thoughts to her unborn child)

*This chapter is named after a song by Lauryn Hill*

Sean had driven out to a nearby park to shoot some hoops. It was dark and he was alone; however, it was very peaceful. It gave him time to think. Although he felt terrible for hurting Manny; he was glad that she finally knew the truth. He prayed that it wasn't over between them; he loved her so much.

At around eleven o clock, Sean came back in the house. He walked upstairs and took a glimpse into Dakota's room; she was fast asleep. He smiled and then quietly headed to the bathroom. He took a long, soothing shower to cleanse himself of the sweaty solo game of basketball. When he was finished, he dried off and slipped on some boxers.

He entered the bedroom; Manny was sleeping on her side with her knees bent. He quietly climbed into the bed and slipped under the covers. He lied down on his side with his chest softly pressed against Manny's back. He put his arms around her and rubbed her belly. Manny felt him, so she opened her eyes.

"Sean, I love you and I don't want to stay mad at you," she told him, softly.

"I love you too, baby," Sean whispered."I'm sorry."

He kissed her on the side of her neck and stroked her hair. Manny immediately went back to sleep. Several minutes later, so did Sean. They slept comfortably, softly snoring throughout the night. At around four o clock in the morning, Manny woke up feeling contractions in her stomach.

"Oh my God," she moaned.

Manny sat up and turned to Sean. She shook him until he woke up.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked.

"It's time," Manny told him.

Without a second thought, Sean turned the lamp on and got out of the bed. He quickly started getting dressed. Manny sat up on the edge of the bed and gasped in pain.

"Baby, I'm coming," Sean told her, as he slipped into his jeans.

Sean grabbed a T-shirt and put it on. Next, he put his sneakers on and then helped Manny put on hers. He carefully pulled her to stand on her feet. She was wearing her nightgown, but that wasn't the biggest concern. Suddenly, a clear liquid starting leaking from between her legs and splashed onto the floor.

"Oh shit, my water broke," Manny gasped.

"Okay, baby sit back down," Sean told her."I have to wake up Dakota."

Manny nodded and sat back down on the bed. Sean hurried into Dakota's room and shook her awake. Dakota sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"You have to get dressed, sweetie," Sean said."The baby's coming."

"Yes!" Dakota cheered.

She excitedly jumped out of the bed and pulled out some clothes to wear. Sean left the room to let her get dressed. He went back to the bedroom and took Manny by the arm. He guided her out of the room and they waited until Dakota finished dressing. When she was done, they both helped Manny down the stairs.

They headed out the door and got settled into the car. Sean backed out of the driveway and drove off. He tried to get to hospital as fast as he could without risking getting a speeding ticket. When they finally arrived there the three of them headed into the building.

When Sean alerted the receptionist to the emergency, she immediately called a few doctors to help. When the doctors arrived, they got Manny settled into a wheelchair.

"Baby, I'll be right back," Sean told her.

"Where are you going?" Manny asked.

"I'm going to drop Dakota off at her mom's," Sean replied.

Dakota rolled her eyes.

"Sean, please hurry," Manny pleaded."I can't do this alone."

"You won't, baby," Sean assured her."I promise."

"Okay," Manny said.

Sean and Dakota left the hospital as the doctors rolled Manny away. They headed back to Sean's car and drove off. While Sean was driving, he spoke to Dakota.

"Why do you look so upset?" Sean asked.

"Because I don't want to go over there," Dakota told him.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry but I have no other choice," Sean said."I'd like for you to stay with us while she has the baby but it's a school day."

"Fine," Dakota sighed.

"Dakota, I have to tell you something," Sean said.

"What is it?" Dakota asked.

"Two months ago I……cheated on Manny with your mom," Sean admitted.

"What?!" Dakota exclaimed."Dad, why?"

"I really don't know," Sean sighed."It was a stupid mistake. Your mom just found out that she's pregnant."

"Oh my God," Dakota gasped."Daddy, what is wrong with you?"

"I made a mistake, sweetie," Sean said."When I told Manny, she was upset but she forgave me though. So, you don't have to stay mad at me."

"I'm not really mad, I'm just disappointed," Dakota insisted."You and Manny are so perfect together. When Mom cheated on you, it broke your heart. Why would you the same thing to Manny?"

"Dakota, I can't take back what I did," Sean told her."But I promise you and Manny that it won't happen again. Ever."

"Well, I'm actually glad thatyou did what you did," Dakota stated.

"Why?" Sean asked, confused.

"Because now Jay knows how it feels to be cheated on," Dakota said."He cheated on Manny with Mom and then Mom cheated on him with you. Does he even know?"

"Yeah, but that's their business, not ours," Sean told her.

"You're right," Dakota agreed.

Several minutes later, Sean pulled up in front of Emma's house. He and Dakota stepped out of the car and walked up to the front door. When Sean rang the doorbell, the dogs started barking loudly.

"Penny and Jenny are the only things I miss about this place," Dakota commented.

A few seconds later, Melisa opened the door; she was very tired. Sean and Dakota both looked at her as if she was an alien or something.

"Who the hell are you?" Sean asked, rudely.

"No, the question is who the hell are YOU?" Melisa retorted."It's almost five o clock in the morning."

"I'm Emma's ex-husband and this is our daughter," Sean told her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Melisa said, with a chuckle."You must be Sean and Dakota."

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Sean asked.

"I heard a lot about you guys," Melisa replied."My name is Melisa; I'm a friend of Jay's family in Moncton. It's nice to meet you."

Sean politely shook her hand.

"Melisa, who is it?" Jay called, from behind.

Jay appeared at the door and stood next to Melisa. He and Sean were not happy to see each other. They exchanged evil glances at each other.

"What do you want?" Jay demanded.

"Where the hell is Emma?" Sean asked.

"She's sleeping," Jay snapped.

"Look, Manny's in labor and I need her to take Dakota to school for me," Sean told him.

"Alright, whatever," Jay said.

"Dakota, I'll see you after school," Sean told her."Okay, baby?"

"Okay," Dakota said.

Sean gave her a quick kiss and headed to his car. He too thought that Melisa looked so much Manny.

"How are you doing, Dakota?" Jay asked.

"I'm fine," Dakota muttered.

As Dakota stepped inside the house, Jay headed back upstairs.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Dakota," Melisa said, with a smile.

Dakota gave her a fake smile and nodded.

"I've been staying here with your mom and Jay," Melisa told her."They gave me your old bedroom. You can sleep in there until it's time for you to go to school, if you want."

"I don't think so," Dakota snapped.

Dakota turned around and walked to the living room. She planned to sleep on the couch instead.

Damn, that girl is mean, Melisa thought.

She just shrugged it off and went back upstairs. When the sun came up in the morning, Emma came downstairs and stepped into the living room. When she saw Dakota sleeping on the sofa, she smiled. It's been a while since she's seen her. Emma walked over and shook her awake.

"Good morning, sweetie," Emma greeted her.

"Good morning," Dakota mumbled.

"You're already dressed for school; are you hungry?" Emma asked.

"I'll eat at school," Dakota told her.

"Did your dad give you lunch money?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Dakota replied.

"Okay."

Several minutes later, Emma and Dakota went outside to the car. As Emma drove her to school, Dakota wanted to tell her off for sleeping with her father, but she decided to remain quiet. At least for now.

When Sean made it back to the hospital, he stood by Manny's side in the delivery room.

"Sean, you're back," Manny said, happily.

"Of course I am, baby," Sean said."Are you scared?"

"A little," Manny admitted.

"Well, I'm right here," Sean told her."Just squeeze my hand if it gets too painful."

"Okay," Manny said.

Sean convinced Manny not to take an epidural just like he did when Emma was giving birth to Dakota. However, he never left Manny's side throughout the painful process. She moaned and cried the entire time, but Sean did his best to comfort her. Finally, after nine hours of labor, Manny gave birth to a healthy, nine-pound baby boy.

She and Sean both had tears in their eyes for this blessed occasion. As Manny held her newborn son in her arms, tears of joy flowed down her face. After one abortion and two miscarriages, she was so happy to finally become a mother. She named him Angel Zion Santos. She couldn't give him Sean or Jay's last name yet because she still didn't know who the father was. Angel looked a lot like her, so it was hard to tell that point.


	47. Shut Up

{Shut up; don't want to hear your voice. Shut up; I'm sick of all the noise. There's nothing you can say that means a damn thing to me. So, shut up!}(Dakota's thoughts to Emma)

*This chapter is named after a song by Kelly Osbourne*

At 3:30PM, Emma pulled up in front of Dakota's school to pick her up. She waited patiently. Sean had called her earlier and asked her to bring Dakota to the hospital to see Manny's baby. Emma had told Dakota earlier that she's pregnant even though Sean already told her. A few minutes later, Dakota got into the car with her mom.

"Hi, sweetie, how was school?" Emma asked.

"Fine," Dakota muttered.

Emma pulled away from the curb and drove onto the street.

"Did your dad tell you I was picking you up to take you to the hospital?" Emma asked.

Dakota nodded.

"Are you excited about the baby?" Emma asked.

"Which one?" Dakota asked, harshly.

"Manny's," Emma told her.

"Yeah, I am," Dakota replied.

"So, I guess you're not very excited about your other little brother or sister that I'm carrying," Emma stated.

"It's not the baby I have a problem with," Dakota insisted."It's you."

"Pardon me?" Emma asked.

"You know what I'm talking about," Dakota snapped.

"Dakota, I am not discussing that with you," Emma insisted.

"I can't believe you slept with my dad!" Dakota exclaimed.

"Listen, you're dad made the choice, not just me," Emma told her.

"Whatever, I know it was all your fault," Dakota accused her."I bet you begged my dad to do it."

"Who do you think do you are?!" Emma shouted."How dare you speak to me that way? I'm still your mother."

"Why not? Can't face the truth?" Dakota continued.

"You better shut up!" Emma snapped.

"Just stay away from my father!" Dakota yelled."He deserves better than you. You better stick to the loser boyfriend you have now. Jay isn't half the man my dad is and you're not half the woman Manny is."

"Dakota, I'm giving you one last warning to shut the hell up," Emma growled.

"Don't tell me what to do," Dakota snapped.

Emma pulled over at a red light and choked the steering wheel firmly. She was getting really angry.

"You're the one who needs to shut up," Dakota added.

Without thinking, Emma slapped Dakota across the face. They both were equally surprised. Emma never hit her daughter before; she suddenly felt bad. Dakota refused to show her mother any pained reaction, so she didn't cry. Not another word was spoken for the rest of the ride. When Emma pulled up in the hospital's parking lot, she and Dakota got out of the car and entered the hospital. They still couldn't believe what just happened. A few seconds, Sean came downstairs to meet them in the waiting area.

"Hey Dad," Dakota said.

"Hey," Sean said, with a smile.

"Is the baby cute?" Dakota asked.

"Of course," Sean replied."You're going to see him right now."

"Dad, she hit me," Dakota told him.

"You did what?!" Sean barked at Emma.

"Sean, I'm not getting into this with you right here," Emma insisted.

"No, you better answer me!" Sean snapped.

Emma just glared at him and turned around. She exited the hospital and went to her car. Sean and Dakota took the elevator upstairs to Manny's hospital room. When they entered, Dakota smiled as she saw Manny holding the chubby newborn who may possibly be her brother.

"Hey Dakota," Manny said, cheerily.

"Hey," Dakota said.

She walked towards the bed to get a closer look at baby Angel. She smiled brightly; he was the most adorable baby she's ever seen.

"Baby, I'll be right back," Sean told her.

"Okay, babe," Manny said.

Sean walked out of the room and dialed Emma's cell phone number. While Emma was driving, she heard her cell phone ringing and she noticed Sean's number. She rolled her eyes and picked it up.

"Sean, what do you want?"

"Why the hell did you hit my daughter?" Sean demanded.

"I feel bad about it," Emma told him."I was upset."

"I don't give a shit," Sean snapped."Keep your fucking hands to yourself!"

"She was being disrespectful to me," Emma argued."She had no business speaking to me the way that she did."

"Then why didn't you just tell me instead of hitting her?" Sean asked, angrily.

"Because all you do is spoil her," Emma told him."You wouldn't have done anything about it. She sees how you much of a jerk you are to me and that's the reason why she thinks she can treat me any way she wants."

"Don't blame me for that," Sean said.

"I have every right to blame you!" Emma exclaimed.

"No you don't!" Sean yelled.

"Look Sean, I have nothing else to say to you," Emma stated, harshly."Dakota is still my daughter and I will never give up on her. But you can go to hell; I'm done with you. I just hope I'm not carrying your child. Fuck you, okay?"

Before Sean can respond, Emma hung up on him and continued to drive home. Finally, she pulled into her driveway and stepped out of the car. As soon as she entered her house, she heard chatting and laughter coming from the living room.

When Emma entered the living room, she saw Jay, Melisa, Towerz and Towerz's wife, Keisha, watching TV and socializing. They all greeted Emma when she entered.

"Hey guys," Emma responded.

She took a seat next to Jay on the sofa and kissed him.

"So Emma, are you excited about having your second child?" Keisha asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied."How about you? You and Towerz are married now; do you plan on having kids?"

"Nope," Keisha and Towerz both said.

"Why not?" Emma asked.

"Because we're satisfied with the six we have already," Keisha insisted.

"Okay…I'm confused," Emma said.

"Well, before I met Towerz, I had my daughter with my ex-boyfriend back in high school and then I had my son with this other loser," Keisha explained.

"And I had four kids before I met Keisha," Towerz added.

"Oh," Emma said.

"My daughter, Carmeesha, is twenty; she's in college," Keisha continued."My son, TJ, is sixteen and he lives with my mother in Baltimore. She's been raising my kids since I got locked up back in 2011."

"Keisha, you look so young!" Emma exclaimed."I can't believe you have a twenty-year old kid."

"I was only fifteen when I had her," Keisha said.

"Wow, that means you're my age," Emma said."I guess it's true that don't black don't crack."

"Yeah, I guess," Keisha chuckled.

"Well, now that you and Towerz have a house to yourselves, maybe there's room for one more," Emma said.

"Yeah, but Towerz and I are still financially responsible for our kids," Keisha told her."We really can't afford another one. Besides, we decided that we want it to be just us two for the rest of our lives. Til' death do us part."

"That's right, baby," Towerz agreed.

"Aw, that's so sweet," Emma commented.

"So Emma, did you get to see Manny's baby?" Melisa asked.

"No," Emma replied.

"Was Dakota being rude to you or was she actually being nice?" Jay asked.

"She was being EXTREMELY rude and I slapped her for the very first time," Emma told him.

Everyone was surprised.

"That's what she gets," Towerz said.

"No Towerz, I feel awful," Emma insisted."I wish I could take it back."

"Oh please," Keisha said."My mom is my best friend, but she always beat my ass whenever I got disrespectful. Physical discipline is a natural parenting thing; society is too overdramatic when they label that as child abuse."

"I know, but I just never agreed with hitting kids," Emma sighed."It's just that…..Dakota made me so furious today. But it's not her that I'm really mad at, it's her father. I felt as though I took my frustrations for him out on my daughter and that was so wrong."

Emma started to tear up a bit, but she wiped it away. Jay put his arm around her.

"Baby, you don't have to feel bad," he told her."What exactly happened that caused you to slap her?"

Emma explained the whole story to everyone and they all agreed that what Emma did was warranted. They all talked for a while longer until Towerz and Keisha went home. Later on that night, Emma called her mother to vent. As she told her what happened, Emma cried.

"Honey, don't cry," Christine said."Dakota can't keep getting away with being so evil to you."

"I love her so much, Mom," Emma sobbed.

"I know you do," Christina said."I know how bad you feel, but it's going to be okay. I slapped you one time when you were thirteen. I didn't forgive myself for weeks, but that doesn't take away the fact that I've been an amazing mother to you just like you've been to Dakota."

"I know," Emma murmured.

"Listen sweetheart, you're not a bad person," Christine said."Neither is Dakota. Someone needs to tell her about the conniving, deceitful people that Sean and Manny really are."

"She'll never believe it if I told her," Emma insisted."You already tried to do that and she called you a liar."

Emma talked to her mom for about an hour and then hung up.


	48. Anytime

{Do I ever cross your mind, anytime? Do you ever wake up reaching out for me? Do I ever cross your mind, anytime? I miss you.}(Toby's thoughts to Liberty)

*This chapter is named after a song by Brian McKnight*

As Toby drove down the road, he thought about everything that has happened. He found his own apartment where he lived alone and lonely. He thought about how foolish he was to leave his beautiful, loving wife and kids to be with a guy that turned out to be such a heartless idiot. Liberty was on his mind every day and it's been seven long months since the horrible incident occurred at her birthday party. It killed him that she still hasn't forgiven him.

It was Friday evening and Toby was driving to Liberty's house to pick up the twins for the weekend. When he finally pulled up, he parked his car and walked up to the front door. When he rang the bell, Liberty opened the door and let him inside.

"Hi Liberty," Toby said.

"The kids are upstairs in their rooms, I'll go get them," Liberty said, ignoring Toby's greeting.

She turned around but Toby stopped her.

"Liberty, please," Toby said."Is apologizing to you still useless?"

"Yes it is, so I don't know why you insist on doing it every weekend," Liberty snapped.

"I'll never stop apologizing to you until you forgive me," Toby stated."I'm not giving up. I love you."

"Toby, I don't want to keep fighting about this," Liberty groaned.

"I'm not fighting with you," Toby told her.

"Well, apologizing to me is only going to cause an argument," Liberty said."We go through this every weekend when you come for the kids."

"Liberty……," Toby started to say.

"Toby, I'm going to bring the kids downstairs and then I want you to take them and leave," Liberty told him.

Again, Liberty tried to turn around but Toby stopped her.

"Liberty, just one last time," Toby pleaded."Let's sit down and talk. Tell me whatever it is that's in your heart. Yell at me, curse at me, call me names; I don't care. I just want to know what you're feeling."

Liberty sighed.

"Please," Toby begged.

"Okay," Liberty reluctantly agreed.

They headed into the living room to talk and took a seat on the couch.

"Toby, you already know what I'm feeling," Liberty said.

"But I want to hear you say it," Toby insisted.

"I feel hurt," Liberty told him."When Julian ruined my birthday party the way he did, I was extremely humiliated and extremely angry. I had no idea that you've been cheating on me with him."

"I've tried to tell you that I wasn't cheating," Toby explained."Julian and I haven't even kissed each other until I moved out."

"But you were spending a lot of time with him while you were still living with me," Liberty stated."That's still cheating. And to make matters worse, you lied to me about why you were leaving. I had to find out on my birthday, in front of fifty people, that you left me for Julian."

"I left you because I didn't want to cheat on you," Toby told her."I just felt that you were too busy for me and I felt so lonely. We're married; I wasn't supposed to be feeling lonely."

"I do realize where I went wrong in our marriage," Liberty admitted."I should have been there for you and the kids more often. But what you did to me was horrible. It totally outweighed anything wrong I have done in this marriage."

"You're right," Toby agreed."I just miss you, Liberty."

"I miss you too, but I'm still hurt," Liberty said.

"I know," Toby sighed."In the future, is there any hope for the two of us? At all?"

"Toby, I'm seeing someone," Liberty revealed.

"What?" Toby gasped."For how long?"

"Two months," Liberty replied.

"I can't say I'm happy to hear that," Toby stated, honestly."But I'll respect it."

"Toby, why do you want me back?" Liberty asked."You're gay."

"No, I'm not," Toby insisted."I'm just kind of……bi."

"What do you mean kind of?" Liberty asked, confused.

"I've always been curious about sex with another guy," Toby confessed."All throughout my friendship with JT, I always wanted to experiment with him…..sexually. But I was afraid he'd never speak to me again, so I never asked."

"Wow," Liberty gasped."Toby, I'm not going to lie; that is a bit disturbing. JT was my first love and you're my husband. But I'm glad you're being honest."

"I've been keeping this secret for too long and I never had the opportunity to be with a guy until Julian came along," Toby continued."And now that it happened, I don't feel the same anymore. I realized that my interest in men was just a phase."

"So, you think you're straight?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Toby said.

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore," Liberty sighed."Like I said, I'm seeing someone."

"Do you love this guy?" Toby asked, brokenheartedly.

"Not at all," Liberty replied, quickly."He's a great guy but he's a lot younger than I am and I'm not ready for anything too serious."

"Are you planning on divorcing me?" Toby asked.

"Toby, I don't know," Liberty replied."I need time to think; I don't want to make any big decisions right now. I have enough on my plate already."

"Well, can we be friends in the meantime?" Toby asked.

"I need time to think about that too," Liberty told him.

"I care about you, Liberty," Toby said."If I can't have you for my wife, I at least want you for my friend. I want it to be the way it used to be. Before we had kids, before we got married, before we fell in love and before………"

Toby couldn't finish his sentence.

"Before JT died," Liberty finished it for him.

"Yeah," Toby sighed.

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. It's been almost eighteen years since JT died and talking about it was still painful.

"Okay, I'm going to take the kids now," Toby finally spoke up.

"Okay."

Liberty called Ryder and Coral downstairs. After saying goodbye, Toby took them to his car and drove away. Liberty hated to admit it, but she was actually relieved that she and Toby actually had a conversation without any anger and animosity.

Liberty was expecting Xavier to come over that night. They have been going out a lot ever since they met at the club two months ago. Finally, he arrived at 9:00PM and Liberty let him inside. He was well-dressed and handsome as usual. This was the first time he's been to her house.

"Wow, your house is beautiful," Xavier commented.

"Thank you," Liberty said.

She guided him into the living room and they took a seat on the sofa.

"So, we're ordering pizza?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," Xavier replied.

"Okay," Liberty said.

"Where are your kids?" Xavier asked.

"Their dad just picked them up for the weekend," Liberty told him.

"I can't wait to meet them," Xavier said.

"Xavier, I'm not ready to bring another guy around my kids yet," Liberty insisted."They're just getting used to their dad not living here anymore."

"Yeah, I understand," Xavier said.

"Besides, we've only been dating for two months," Liberty added.

"Seriously, ARE we dating?" Xavier asked.

"We've been spending a lot of time together," Liberty said."What do you think?"

"You haven't even let me kiss you yet," Xavier stated.

"You never tried to," Liberty shrugged.

"I didn't have to," Xavier insisted."I can look at a girl's face and determine if she wants to be kissed or not."

"I'm not a girl; I'm a woman," Liberty corrected him.

"You know what I mean," Xavier said.

"Do you remember when I told you that before my first love died back in high school…..he and I had a son that we put up for adoption?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah," Xavier said.

"Well, you're twenty-one, I'm thirty-four and my son is about eighteen years old now, wherever he is," Liberty said."That is so weird."

"Life is weird," Xavier told her."But sometimes we have to conform to its weirdness."

Liberty smiled at him and he smiled back. Liberty was hypnotized by his tender looking lips and his beautiful, white teeth. After staring at each other for a few seconds, Xavier worked up some courage and leaned forward. Liberty didn't resist when his lips touched hers. They kissed romantically for a long time and for the first time. When they finished, Liberty felt so amazing. It's been months since any man has displayed such affection towards her and he was such a great kisser.

They spent a few hours together talking and watching movies. They also ordered pizza. That night was fun, relaxing and sweet for both of them. The age barrier was gradually becoming less of a problem for Liberty.


	49. You Are My Roc

{You're a roc in the sand; you're a smile in a cry. You're my joy through the pain; you're the truth through the lies. No matter what I do, I know that I can count on you}(Manny's thoughts to Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by Beyonce*

It's been a week since Manny gave birth to her son and she was feeling light and free. She didn't retain any fat after she had the baby and it was a relief because she was quite huge while she was pregnant. It was a Wednesday morning and Sean woke up. He looked over at Manny, sleeping peacefully and serenely. He gently shook her until she woke up.

"Happy birthday," he said.

"Thank you, baby," Manny said, smiling.

They kissed each other.

"Since its Dakota's birthday too, I'm going to keep her home," Sean told her.

"Okay," Manny said.

"We're going to go out for breakfast," Sean said.

"Cool," Manny agreed.

Sean climbed on top of her and started kissing her neck, shoulders and cleavage.

"Come on Sean, you know what the doctor said," Manny said."We can't have sex right now."

"Yeah, we have to wait eight weeks," Sean groaned.

"Exactly," Manny said."Did it slip your mind?"

"Baby, you know I can't resist you," Sean told her.

"I can't resist you either," Manny said."My insides need time to heal though."

Sean rolled off of her and sighed."Eight weeks is going to be torture."

"It's only going to be seven," Manny told him."The baby is already a week old."

"It's still torture," Sean insisted.

"Honey, you became a father exactly eleven years ago," Manny stated."Didn't the doctor tell you and Emma to wait a few weeks after she had Dakota?"

"Yeah, but she only had to wait six weeks, not eight," Sean replied.

"Don't worry, baby," Manny said."When the eight weeks are over, I'm going to be really good to you since you've taken such good care of me all these months."

Sean smiled.

"I love you, Sean," Manny told him.

"I love you, too."

They kissed again. Suddenly, they heard Angel crying. They both got out of the bed and walked towards his crib. Manny reached inside and carefully lifted the baby up.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" she cooed.

The baby continued to cry as she laid him down on the bed and checked his diaper. He was still dry.

"Sean, he's probably hungry," Manny insisted."Can you go fix a bottle for him?"

"Just breastfeed him," Sean suggested.

"You know I tried but it's too frustrating," Manny told him."I couldn't tell how much milk he was getting in."

"Alright, baby," Sean said.

"I have to pee," Manny said.

Sean picked Angel up and gently cradled him in his arms. He instantly stopped crying.

"Wow honey, you're like magic," Manny said."He never cries when you hold him."

"That's because he loves his daddy," Sean said."Right, little man?"

Manny smiled joyfully as she looked at Sean and the baby. Clearly, they had a connection; maybe Sean really is his father. They would have to take a DNA test soon to find out for sure.

"I'm going to make his bottle now," Manny said.

"Okay, while you're at it, can you wake Dakota up?" Sean asked.

"Sure," Manny said.

She left the bedroom and went to the bathroom. She used the toilet, brushed her teeth and cleaned her face. When she was finished, she stepped into Dakota's bedroom and took a seat next to her sleeping body. Manny shook her awake.

"Good morning and happy birthday," Manny told her.

"Happy birthday to you too," Dakota said.

"Now you're eleven years old," Manny said.

"Now you're thirty five years old," Dakota said.

"Gee, thanks for reminding me," Manny chuckled."Are you going to call me old like you did last year?"

"No, you're still young and beautiful," Dakota told her.

"Thank you, sweetie," Manny said.

"Where's my dad?" Dakota asked.

"He's in the room with the baby," Manny replied."He said you can skip school today. We're going out for breakfast."

"Awesome," Dakota smiled.

As Dakota got out of bed, Manny went downstairs to the kitchen to prepare a bottle. When she was finished, she took it upstairs so Sean can feed the baby. After Angel finished his bottle, they all got dressed. Manny decided to give her parents a call. After she dialed the number, her father answered after three rings.

"Hello?"

"Hi Dad," Manny said.

"Hi, Manuela," Mr. Santos responded, indifferently."Happy birthday."

"Thank you," Manny said."I was wondering if we can drop the baby off with you and mom. Sean is taking me and Dakota out for breakfast."

Mr. Santos was silent; he didn't respond.

"Dad, are you still there?" Manny asked.

"I'm here," Mr. Santos murmured.

"Did you hear what I said?" Manny asked.

"Yes I did and I don't think it's a good idea," Mr. Santos replied, sternly.

"Are you busy or something?" Manny asked.

"No, I just don't want to watch him," Mr. Santos told her.

"But he's your grandson," Manny said.

"Manuela, your recent activities have disgusted your mother and me," Mr. Santos snapped.

"What?" Manny gasped.

"Did you and Emma just decide to trade husbands?!" Mr. Santos exclaimed."What the hell is wrong with you? And why is her daughter living at your house?"

"Dad, that's a long story and I am not discussing that with you, because all you like to do is criticize," Manny told him.

"You are not her mother, Manuela," Mr. Santos argued.

"But Sean is her father and he's my boyfriend," Manny stated.

"Is he the father of your child, too?" Mr. Santos asked.

"Dad, I really don't know," Manny sighed.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Mr. Santos demanded.

"He might be Jay's," Manny admitted.

"Manuela, you ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Mr. Santos yelled.

"Dad, I am not about to fight with you on my birthday," Manny snapped."Goodbye."

"You better not hang up on me!" Mr. Santos screamed at her."I don't care how old you are; I am still your father. You don't speak to me in that tone of voice!"

"How do you expect me to show you any respect when you're being so wicked?!" Manny exclaimed."I can't believe you're refusing to spend time with your grandson just because you're not proud of how he got here. It's not fair to take that out on him! It's been a week since he was born and you didn't even bother to call or come see him."

"If you can't understand how badly you've disgraced this family, then you must be stupid," Mr. Santos growled.

"Dad, why are you doing this?" Manny started to cry.

"Manuela, you brought this upon yourself," Mr. Santos insisted.

"I want to talk to Mom," Manny told him."Where is she?"

"She's disappointed in you too," Mr. Santos said.

"She can speak for herself," Manny snapped.

Mr. Santos handed the phone to his wife.

"Manuela, I don't want to argue with you," Mrs. Santos told her."Your father is right."

"Mom, I can't believe you," Manny sobbed.

Before her mother could respond, her father took the phone back.

"Manuela, we're going to pray for you," Mr. Santos told her."You, Sean, Emma and Jay are all pathetic and I don't associate with pathetic people."

"You know what?" Manny growled."I don't need your fucking prayers."

Mr. Santos was shocked that his own child cursed at him.

"If you want to act this way, then I'm out of your life for good," Manny added."I am not your daughter."

"I agree," Mr. Santos said.

"Oh, go to hell!" Manny cursed, harshly.

She quickly hung up on him and started crying. Sean watched her sadly and then he put the baby down. He walked over towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Baby, it's going to be okay," Sean said.

"I can't believe my own parents could be so cruel," Manny sobbed.

"This is your day and Dakota's day, baby," Sean told her."We're not going to let anyone bring you down."

"Okay," Manny responded, sadly.

She cried for a little while longer until she calmed down. They had no choice but to bring Angel with them. So, they headed out to the car and drove to a restaurant for breakfast. They all had a great meal and a great conversation. It was Manny and Dakota's birthday and Sean wanted that day to be wonderful for both of them. After they finished eating, Sean paid the bill, tipped the waitress and they left.

As Sean was driving them home, he saw Manny staring at him and smiling from the side of his eye.

"I'm glad to see you smiling," Sean told her.

"I just love you so much, baby," Manny said."You make me so happy."

"You make me happy too," Sean said.

"What would I ever do without you?" Manny said, emotionally.

Sean wanted to kiss her, but he had to keep his eye on the road. So, he just held her hand instead. Manny was deeply in love with Sean and he has been so incredible to her ever since they got together. Dakota was very happy for them.


	50. Don't Rain On My Parade

*This chapter is named after a song by Barbara Streisand*

Later on in the afternoon, Sean, Manny and Dakota were all sitting in the living room watching a funny show on TV. Sean had Angel in his arms, sleeping soundly. Sean had given Manny and Dakota their birthday gifts and they were very happy about it. Suddenly, Manny's cell phone rang and she noticed Liberty's number. She was surprised; they haven't spoken in seven months.

"Oh my goodness," Manny said, happily."Liberty's calling me."

She answered the phone."Hi, Liberty!"

"Happy birthday, Manny," Liberty said.

"Thank you," Manny said."I missed you, Liberty. We haven't spoken since that awful incident at your birthday party."

"I know," Liberty said.

"I was wondering why you didn't return my calls," Manny told her."I figured you must've been depressed."

"Yeah, I was completely inconsolable," Liberty sighed.

"Well, are you okay now?" Manny asked.

"I'm fine actually," Liberty replied."It took me a long time to forgive Toby, but we're on somewhat good terms now. Plus, I have a new boyfriend."

"Oh that's great!" Manny exclaimed."It's a shame that Toby messed up with you; but I'm glad you're moving on."

"Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better now," Liberty told her.

"That's really great," Manny said."I have so much to tell you; I don't even know where to start. I just had a baby last week."

"Yeah, I know," Liberty said."How is he?"

"He's an angel," Manny replied."And that's exactly what I named him. Angel Zion Santos."

"Oh, that's a nice name," Liberty said.

"So, is Dakota there?" Liberty asked."I want to tell her happy birthday."

"Yeah, hold on," Manny told her.

Manny passed the phone to Dakota and she talked to Liberty for a few minutes. While Dakota was speaking to Liberty, Manny started to get suspicious. Liberty hasn't spoken to her since the birthday party seven months ago and she never even told her she was pregnant. So, how did she know that she just had a baby? And how did she know that Dakota was at her house?

When Dakota finished talking to Liberty, she handed the phone back to Manny.

"Hey Liberty," Manny said.

"Hey," Liberty said."It was nice talking to you guys."

"Hold on for a second, Liberty," Manny told her.

Manny politely asked Dakota to leave the room for a minute because the conversation was bound to get personal. Without hesitation, Dakota respectfully stood up and headed upstairs to her room. After she was out of sight, Manny put the phone back to her ear.

"Liberty, how did you know I had a baby?" Manny asked.

"Emma told me," Liberty replied.

"When did you speak to Emma?" Manny asked."I thought you weren't speaking to her anymore."

"Well, she called me two months ago and we made up," Liberty told her."We're friends again."

"So, you two have been talking again for two months?" Manny asked.

"Yeah," Liberty said.

"Liberty, I have to say that I'm disappointed in you," Manny sighed.

"Look Manny, I know that you and Emma hate each other right now, but you can't expect me to hate her too," Liberty stated.

"That is not why I'm disappointed," Manny insisted."I'm disappointed because you made up with Emma two months before you finally decided to return my calls after all this time."

"Manny, you know how busy I am," Liberty told her.

"Don't give me that "busy" excuse; it is so old," Manny muttered."That's part of the reason you and Toby aren't together anymore."

"Manny, that was cold," Liberty said, disappointedly."Why would you say something like that?"

"I'm only stating the facts," Manny insisted."Don't get me wrong. Toby was a total jerk for lying to you and getting involved with Julian, but you have to take partial responsibility for that. You put your career before everything and you're the only one who doesn't realize that."

"For your information, I do realize that I was putting my career before everything," Liberty argued."But my busy life doesn't revolve around work anymore. I am making more time for myself, my kids and my new boyfriend."

"And Emma, apparently," Manny said.

"So, what's your point?" Liberty asked.

"My point is that you didn't bother to call me for seven months, but you're friends with Emma again," Manny told her, angrily."I don't even understand why you stopped talking to me in the first place! I did NOTHING wrong to you. Emma was the one that betrayed you by not telling you that she knew about Toby and Julian. I'm not angry that you forgave her; I'm angry that you forgave her two months before you called me. You had thinking you hated me and I haven't even done anything to you!"

"Manny, listen to me," Liberty said."After I found out about Toby and Julian, I shut everyone out. Not just you. I didn't hate anyone; I was just depressed. Just like you, Emma tried to call me countless time over the months, but I ignored her calls too. But when she called me for the thousandth time two months ago, I decided to forgive her. You haven't called me during these last two months. You stopped trying to call three months ago."

"Liberty, I was pregnant and stressed out!" Manny exclaimed."I gave up trying to call you after a while because you weren't answering my calls. Maybe if I kept trying a little longer I would've gotten lucky like Emma did. But I shouldn't have had to go through that because I did nothing to you. That crap that happened with you, Toby and Julian had nothing to do with me, so you had no reason not to accept my calls. Why didn't you call me the same day you and Emma made up?"

"Do you really want to know?" Liberty asked.

"Yes, I do," Manny replied, sternly.

"Because I'm really pissed at you, Manny," Liberty admitted."Emma told me everything that's been going on. I can't believe Sean and Dakota are living with you after they got a divorce. How could you be with such a hateful, lying bastard like Sean?!"

"Liberty, you don't know what the hell you're talking about," Manny snapped."Sean is amazing! He was there for me throughout my entire pregnancy when no one else was. Jay is still legally married to me, we didn't get divorced yet and there's a big possibility he may be my son's father. But he hasn't called to check on me once since he moved out. HE'S the one being hateful. Not Sean!"

"Jay has every right to be angry with you," Liberty stated."You and Sean cheated on him and Emma five years ago and then when they started seeing each other, you started sleeping with Sean again around the same time! But the thing that makes me really mad is that you and Sean brought Dakota in the middle of this. She hates Emma because she doesn't know the truth about the two of you. Sean is too bitter and hateful towards Emma to even try and repair the relationship between her and their daughter. You need to tell that girl the truth!"

"Liberty, I don't have to do anything," Manny insisted."It is not my job to fix Dakota's relationship with her mom. I'm not getting involved in that."

"But you're already involved!" Liberty yelled."Can't see you that?!"

Before Manny could respond, Sean snatched the cell phone from Manny. Overhearing her argue with Liberty was getting him furious.

"Liberty, you need to mind your own fucking business!" Sean growled.

"And you need to stop being such a bitter asshole," Liberty snapped.

"Don't call this fucking house and attack Manny on her birthday!" Sean yelled."You're the one who's bitter. I'm sorry to hear that your husband prefers to fuck guys instead of you, but don't call here and take it out on Manny."

"Fuck you!" Liberty snarled.

Liberty hung up on him. All of the yelling caused Angel to wake up and began to cry. Sean started rocking him in his arms to calm him down.

"Liberty is such a bitch," Sean stated, angrily.

"You know what, babe?" Manny said."I'm not going to let it get to me. Like you said, this is my day. If Liberty wants to take Emma's side, that's her choice. I have no time for backstabbers. As long as I have you, Dakota and Angel, I'm happy."

"You're right, baby," Sean sighed.

Even though Manny vowed not to get upset about it, she was still a little disappointed that she lost her parents and a good friend all in one day. Her BIRTHDAY!


	51. You Are Not Alone

{Every day I sit and ask myself, how did love slip away? But something whispers in my ear and says that you are not alone. I am here with you; though you're far away, I am here to stay}(Toby's thoughts to Liberty)

*This chapter is named after a song by Michael Jackson*

Emma knew that Dakota was still angry with her and she didn't call her for her birthday because she knew she wouldn't speak to her. So, after work, she decided to drive to Manny's house. When she arrived there, she parked her car. It was almost eleven o clock at night. She rang the doorbell and Manny opened the door. Manny and Emma just stared at each other for a few seconds.

Finally, Emma spoke up."Happy birthday and congratulations on the baby."

"Thank you," Manny responded, nonchalantly.

The two women clearly despised each other, but they both knew that it was best to remain respectful.

"Where's my daughter?" Emma asked.

"She's asleep," Manny told her.

Emma handed her a gift bag.

"Give this to her and tell her I said happy birthday," Emma said.

"I'll do that," Manny said.

Emma nodded and walked away. As Manny shut the door, Emma headed to her car and drove off.

As the months passed, Dakota remained distant from her mother and close to her father and Manny. Manny returned to work at the fashion design school six weeks after Angel was born. Emma's belly began to grow and Jay took great care of her. Melisa moved into her apartment and Archie was able to get her a substitute teaching position at Degrassi. Liberty continued to date Xavier as she maintained a friendship with Toby.

On Thanksgiving Day, many people gathered together at Christine and Archie's for a big dinner. Although Christine and Emma did most of the cooking, several other people made some culinary contributions as well.

The guests were Emma, Jay, Liberty, Toby, Melisa and various other friends and relatives of Christine. Towerz and Keisha were invited as well; Keisha brought some delicious soul food dishes over.

Everyone sat down eating and socializing. Emma is now five months pregnant, plump and officially on maternity leave from work. She was sitting on the couch with her brother Jack and his girlfriend Kristie in the living room. Kristie was a pretty, blonde with green eyes.

"So Kristie, were your parents upset when you decided to come here for Thanksgiving instead?" Emma asked.

"No, they understood," Kristie replied."They're inviting Jack over for the Christmas vacation."

"Oh that's nice," Emma said."It's also nice to finally meet you."

"Same here," Kristie agreed.

"I'm happy that you two care about each other," Emma told them."Just be safe. You two are still in college; you don't want to end up like this."

Emma pointed to her pregnant stomach.

"Yeah, we're always safe," Jack assured her.

"Good," Emma said.

"Jack, I really would've loved to meet your niece Dakota," Kristie told him."Where is she?"

"She's spending Thanksgiving with her dad's family in Wasaga," Jack replied."Things are sort of complicated right now, but I don't want to get into details about my sister's personal business."

"It's okay," Emma insisted."To keep it brief, Dakota is a bigger fan of her father than she is of me and when we divorced, she moved out with him."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Kristie sympathized.

"It's okay," Emma sighed."I'm still happy. My boyfriend is very loving and very supportive. I can't really complain about much."

"Well, that's good," Kristie told her.

Everyone continued to eat and socialize before it was time to go home.

The next day, a Friday evening, Liberty and Xavier were planning on having dinner together at a local diner. They truly enjoyed each other's company and they had a lot of fun together.

It's only been three months since they've been dating, but they developed feelings for each other. Those feelings weren't exactly love. Well, at least not on Liberty's part.

Last Saturday, Liberty did something she never thought of doing. She and Xavier actually had sex. It was wonderful and pleasurable experience; it gave Liberty a feeling she hasn't felt in ages.

When Liberty showed up to the diner, Xavier was sitting patiently at a table. Liberty walked over to the table, greeted him and gave him a kiss. She took a seat and they began to talk.

"So, how was your Thanksgiving?" Xavier asked.

"It was great," Liberty said."How was yours?"

"It was great too," Xavier told her."I missed you all day yesterday."

"Aww," Liberty said.

"I can't even tell you how I feel about you," Xavier stated."All I know is that whatever it is I feel about you is pretty good."

"I like you too, Xavier," Liberty told him.

"We've really come a long way in three months," Xavier said."When we first met, you hardly wanted to give me the time of day."

"I've gotten comfortable with our age difference," Liberty said.

"I can see that," Xavier said."When we made love last weekend, I thought I was dreaming at first. But then I realized that you've gotten comfortable with me."

"So, did you brag to your roommates that you got laid by an older woman?" Liberty asked.

"No," Xavier replied."It was a special, private moment between the two of us. They asked, but I told them to lay off. I would never disrespect you like that."

"Your maturity really astonishes me," Liberty told him.

"You astonish me," Xavier said.

Liberty smiled at him brightly. The waiter came by to take their order. Several minutes later, he served them their meals and they ate. It took them a half hour to finish their food. When they were finished, they paid the bill and left a tip. After putting on their jackets, they headed outside to the parking lot.

"So, did your husband pick up the kids for the weekend?" Xavier asked.

"No, they're with their grandparents," Liberty told him.

"Your parents or Toby's?" Xavier asked.

"Toby's," Liberty replied."His dad and his stepmom."

"Oh," Xavier said.

They took a few more steps until two very familiar people caught Liberty's eye. She saw Toby heading into the diner. And he had Julian with him!

"Toby!" Liberty exclaimed.

Startled, Toby and Julian turned around and looked at Liberty. She was furious and she had this icy glare in her eyes.

"Liberty, I didn't know you were here," Toby said.

"Screw that!" Liberty snapped."What the hell are you doing?"

"I just bumped into Julian at the mall," Toby explained."But it's not what you think."

"You must think I'm stupid," Liberty growled.

"Liberty, it's not what you think," Toby said again.

"Is this why you wanted to drop the kids off at your parents'?" Liberty demanded."So you can be with him?!"

Julian didn't know what to say; he kept his mouth closed to avoid a fight. He felt bad about the disaster he caused at Liberty's birthday party.

"Liberty, before you make any assumptions…." Toby started to say.

"Just save it," Liberty snapped."I don't want to hear it."

She turned to Xavier and told him that she wanted to go. Liberty ignored Toby and walked away as he kept trying to explain. She and Xavier got in their cars and drove away. They agreed to go Xavier's apartment since his roommates were gone for the weekend. This was Liberty's first time going there because he hardly ever had the place to himself. When they arrived there, Xavier led her inside. The apartment was neatly furnished and it had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a nice kitchen.

"This is a nice place," Liberty told him."How do you guys afford all of this and college tuition?"

"We all have part-time jobs," Xavier replied."Plus, our parents help us out sometimes."

"You guys are lucky," Liberty said.

"Do you want to see my room?" Xavier asked.

Liberty nodded. Xavier guided her to his bedroom and turned on the light. His walls were covered with posters of various sports teams, big-breasted bikini models, rock bands and rap artists. He also had a big poster of former President of the United States, Barrack Obama. (Notice I say former because this is the year 2024).

"Wow, this is definitely a guy's room," Liberty commented.

"I love my room," Xavier shrugged.

"Yeah, it's really nice," Liberty said.

Xavier took a seat on the bed.

"Come here," he told her.

Liberty took a seat beside him on the bed. They looked at each other and smiled for a few seconds. Next, they began to make out with each other. As their passion intensified, Liberty helped him remove his shirt, revealing his smooth, toned chest and six pack. Xavier gently laid her down and climbed on top of her. They continued to kiss each other. Liberty's body heated up. The sex they had in the hotel a week ago was fantastic; she couldn't wait to do it again. However, Liberty's cell suddenly started ringing.

Liberty gently pushed Xavier off of her and sat up. She removed her cell phone from her purse and looked at the caller ID. She groaned in disappointment.

"It's Toby," Liberty said.

"Don't answer it," Xavier told her.

Liberty answered it anyway.

"What is it, Toby?" she asked, irritated.

"Liberty, why did you get so angry?" Toby asked."I told you it wasn't what you think. So, why did you walk out like that?"

"Because you're a liar," Liberty retorted.

"I'm telling you the truth," Toby insisted.

"Well, I'm not convinced," Liberty snapped."You told me that you wanted to be friends. So, why would you disrespect me? I know we're not together anymore, but do you honestly expect me to accept your relationship with Julian after what he did?"

"Liberty, I don't have a relationship with Julian," Toby said."I told you that I ended it the same night of your party."

"Toby, stop lying to me," Liberty said.

"I'm not," Toby insisted."I just bumped into Julian at the mall. I didn't want to speak to him at first, but he kept apologizing. So, I decided to let it go. Besides, he's moving to North Bay soon to work at his sister's salon. We just decided to get a bite to eat and that is all. I swear."

"I want to believe you….but I can't," Liberty sighed.

"Liberty, I swear on JT's grave that I'm telling you the truth," Toby assured her.

"Don't bring JT into this," Liberty told him."You know I hate it when you do that."

"I don't like doing it either, but I just want you to believe me," Toby said."Please."

"Fine," Liberty sighed.

"Listen, I'm sorry," Toby continued."I didn't mean to interrupt anything between you and your……….your boyfriend. I just want you to know that I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Okay," Liberty murmured.

"I'll see you on Sunday, when I bring the kids back," Toby told her.

"Okay."

After Liberty hung up with Toby, she just sat there with a sad expression on her face. Xavier tried to put his arm around her but she moved away.

"What's wrong?" Xavier asked.

"I just think you can do better," Liberty told him, solemnly.

"Do better than what?" Xavier asked.

"Me," Liberty replied.

"Come on, Liberty," Xavier said."Don't let him get to you."

"I wish it was that simple," Liberty sighed, near tears."I can't help it…..but I still love him."

"I know how you feel," Xavier told her."But in time it'll pass."

"I don't think so," Liberty disagreed.

"Liberty, just let me love you," Xavier said, emotionally."I can make you get over him."

"I'm sorry, Xavier," Liberty said.

"Well, I'm disappointed," Xavier admitted.

"I don't mean to hurt you," Liberty told him.

"Well, you did," Xavier responded, sternly.

"I have to go," Liberty said.

"I have feelings for you, Liberty," Xavier argued."I can't believe you're going to walk out as if we didn't have something good over these past three months."

A tear ran down Liberty's cheek.

"Can we just talk about it?" Xavier asked, calmly.

"I can't," Liberty whimpered."I have to go."

Liberty stood up and grabbed her jacket and purse.

"Liberty wait!" Xavier called after her.

"I'm sorry!" Liberty called back.

She quickly ran out of the door and headed downstairs. She left the apartment building and headed to her car. As she drove home, she punched the steering wheel in frustration.

"I am so fucking stupid," Liberty cursed herself.

A few minutes later, she pulled up into her driveway and stepped out of the car. She headed into the house and fixed a cup of tea to sooth her nerves. As she sipped her tea, tears ran down her face. A little while later, she showered and got ready for bed. Before she went to sleep, she gave Toby a call.

"Hello?" Toby answered.

"Toby, I didn't call to talk long," Liberty sobbed."I just hope you know that I really love you."

"I love you, too," Toby responded. It felt so good for Toby to hear her say that again.

"Okay, goodnight," Liberty said.

"Wait, why are you crying?" Toby asked.

"I'm just feeling really down right now," Liberty wept.

"Do you need me to come over?" Toby asked.

"No," Liberty replied, tearfully."I just….I need to be alone right now. I just had to break up with Xavier. I love you but I'm not ready to deal with you yet. I want to be alone."

"Liberty, you're not alone," Toby told her."If you don't want me to come over, I won't. But you're not alone. I love you and as long as I keep loving you and keep thinking about you, you'll never be alone. Okay?"

"Okay," Liberty murmured.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Liberty hung up with Toby and sighed. Xavier was everything she ever wanted in a man. He was a total gentleman. He had the same sense of humor that made her fall in love with JT and the same intelligence that made her fall in love with Toby. Not to mention, he was more gorgeous than both of them. As she fell asleep, she wondered if she would ever regret this decision. Perhaps not. She really loved Toby with all her heart.

(NEXT CHAPTER: EMMA GIVES BIRTH. AND BEFORE YOU GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT THAT, PLEASE LEAVE ME SOME REVIEWS ON THIS CHAPTER. I KNOW YOU ALL DON'T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR THE LIBERTY-TOBY PLOT, BUT BEAR WITH ME. AND BE NICE. LOVE YOU ALL AND THANKS.)


	52. Isn't She Lovely

**Disclaimer: Shame on me for not saying this earlier, but I do not own Degrassi or any of its characters. I do, however, own the characters Dakota, Melisa and Xavier. **

*This chapter is named after a song by Stevie Wonder*

Time continued to pass and everyone went on with their lives. The concerns about the future haven't been ignored, but it was less stressing for everyone not to dwell on their troubles. Christmas arrived and passed to bring in a new year, 2025. A couple more months later, March arrived. The warm weather of spring hasn't quite kicked in yet.

Liberty felt bad for breaking Xavier's heart, but she had to listen to her own. Her heart told her that Toby was still the one for her, but she wasn't about to reconcile with him anytime soon and Toby was respectful of that. Manny's son Angel was growing rapidly into a chubby little one, he is now seven months old and attempting to crawl. She, Sean and Dakota were all amazed at how fast he was developing.

Now that it's March, Emma is nine months pregnant and she looked like she was ready to burst. Jay was at work doing his usual nightshift. Emma and Melisa were sitting in the living room talking, eating popcorn and watching TV. It was seven o clock at night.

"Melisa, I really appreciate you staying here," Emma told her.

"No problem," Melisa said.

Emma's due date was three days ago, so she asked Melisa to stay with her until the baby is born. Emma needed to make sure that someone was there to drive her to the hospital in case she went into labor while Jay was at work.

"I cannot wait to get this thing out," Emma groaned.

"I can only imagine how uncomfortable it is," Melisa said.

"I'm three days overdue," Emma stated."Dakota was born eight days after her due date. Just the thought of carrying this baby another five days is making me nauseous."

"It'll be fine, Emma," Melisa assured her.

Emma just sighed.

"I want to have kids someday," Melisa told her."Exactly how painful is childbirth?"

"_Very," _Emma replied.

"That's the only part that scares me," Melisa responded.

"Well, you can always take an epidural," Emma insisted."When I was giving birth to Dakota, Sean wouldn't let me take an epidural. So, I had to suffer twenty-five hours of excruciating pain."

"Damn!" Melisa exclaimed."Twenty-five?"

"Yup," Emma nodded."I wonder if he did the same with Manny."

"Too bad men can't give birth," Melisa said."With the way Sean and Dakota treats you, he should've been the one to suffer all of that labor pain."

"Tell me about it," Emma agreed."Epidurals are completely safe. So, if it gets too painful, I'm definitely taking one. Jay and I talked about it already."

"That's good," Melisa said.

Suddenly, the telephone rang.

"I'll get it," Melisa said.

She got off of the couch and headed over to the phone. She picked it up after the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Liberty," Liberty said."Is Emma there?"

"Hey Liberty," Melisa said."Yeah, she's here."

Melisa handed the phone to Emma.

"What's up, Liberty?" Emma answered.

"Toby and I have plans tonight," Liberty told her."How about you? Are you hanging in there?"

"Yeah, I'm doing my best," Emma replied.

"That's good," Liberty said.

"Are you and Toby getting back together?" Emma asked.

"No, we're taking it slow," Liberty replied."There's a special formal dance going on at Club Slide Palace tonight and Toby invited me to go with him. It starts at nine o clock."

"That's where we met Xavier and his roommates," Emma said.

"I know," Liberty said."Speaking of Xavier, I hope he's not still mad at me. This might sound silly, but I was thinking of inviting him and hooking him up with your friend, Melisa."

"Liberty, that's a great idea!" Emma exclaimed."It doesn't sound silly at all."

"How old is Melisa?" Liberty asked.

"She just turned twenty-eight last week," Emma replied.

"Well, Xavier will be twenty-two next month," Liberty told her.

"Hopefully, that's not too young for her," Emma said.

"Yeah, I know," Liberty agreed."But I'm thirteen years old than he is, so you never know."

"All we can do is ask," Emma said.

"Okay, I'll call Xavier while you talk to Melisa and I'll call you back in a little while," Liberty said.

"Okay," Emma agreed.

After hanging up with Liberty, Emma talked to Melisa. At first, Melisa was a little skeptical about going on a blind date with a guy six years younger than her, but she eventually agreed to it. It was a formal event and she didn't bring anything "dressy" with her, so Emma told her she can pick out a dress from her closet. Melisa chose a sexy, tight-fitting black dress and some nice black heels. Luckily, they wore the same size dress.

Meanwhile, Liberty was on the phone with Xavier, trying to convince him to go.

"Wait a minute; let me this straight," Xavier said, sternly."You dumped me four months ago and you haven't called me since. Now you expect me to go with you to a club and watch you dance with your husband? Forget it!"

"Xavier, you're not going to be the third wheel," Liberty told him.

"What are you talking about?" Xavier asked.

"I arranged a date for you," Liberty replied.

"I don't need any charity," Xavier muttered.

"This isn't about charity," Liberty insisted.

"Just forget about it," Xavier said."I don't mean to sound conceited, but I can have any woman I want…except the ones that are still stuck on their husbands."

"Xavier, come on," Liberty scoffed."Why do you have to go there?"

"It's the truth," Xavier told her.

"I know you can have any woman you want," Liberty stated."You're bright, charming and handsome. The girl I'm hooking you up with is really gorgeous and she has a great personality. Her name is Melisa and she already agreed to go."

"How do you know this girl?" Xavier questioned.

"Do you remember my friend Emma?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah."

"Emma's boyfriend, Jay, met Melisa in Moncton last summer," Liberty told him."She's a friend of his family that lives there and she moved to Toronto. While she's here, I think it'll be a great opportunity for two single, good-looking people to meet and have a good time."

"I really don't know," Xavier said.

"It's just one date and one night," Liberty urged."If you find that she's not for you, you can move on. You can't catch any serious feelings in one night."

"Alright," Xavier agreed.

"Great," Liberty said."It's a formal dance, so where something formal."

After hanging up with Xavier, she called Emma back. They both were relieved to know that Melisa and Xavier both agreed. So, at nine o clock that night, Liberty, Toby and Melisa were standing in front of the club, waiting for Xavier. Ten minutes later, he showed up wearing a nice dress shirt and slacks. Melisa was instantly attracted to him.

"Hey Liberty," Xavier greeted her.

"Hey," Liberty responded, excitedly.

They hugged each other briefly.

"Xavier, this is Toby," Liberty introduced him.

Xavier politely shook Toby's hand.

"Nice to meet you," Xavier said.

"Same here," Toby agreed.

"And this is your date," Liberty said.

"Hi," Xavier said.

"Hi," Melisa said, blushing.

They shook each other's hand and smiled.

"Wow, you look beautiful," Xavier complimented her.

"Thank you," Melisa beamed.

They just had to stare at each other for a few seconds to dwell in this instant attraction they had to each other. Liberty saw it in their faces.

"Okay, lovebirds," Liberty interrupted."Let's boogey."

So, they entered the club and had a great time. They spent several hours, dancing, talking and having drinks. Although the four of the came together, Toby and Liberty went off somewhere else in the club to let Melisa and Xavier have some personal time. The two of them really seemed to be enjoying each other's company. However, it was cut short at midnight when Melisa's cell phone rang.

"Excuse me for a minute," Melisa said.

"Sure," Xavier said.

"Hello?" Melisa answered her cell.

"Melisa, I am so sorry," Emma spoke kind of fast."I did not expect this to happen tonight of all nights. I didn't want to interrupt your date. I am so sorry."

"Emma, slow down," Melisa told her."Are you okay? What's going on?"

"The baby's coming," Emma replied, frantically.

"Okay, I'm on my way now," Melisa quickly responded.

"I tried to call Jay but I got his voicemail," Emma told her.

"Don't worry," Melisa said."I'll get you to the hospital and then I'll go to the garage and get Jay."

"Well, the ambulance is on its way," Emma said."So, you can probably just continue your date. I just need you to get Jay."

"No Emma, I'm staying with you," Melisa assured her.

After hanging up with Emma, Melisa looked at Xavier.

"Xavier, I'm sorry but Emma's in labor," Melisa told him."I have to go to the hospital with her."

"I'll go with you," Xavier said, right away.

"Are you sure?" Melisa asked.

"Positive," Xavier replied.

"Okay, let's get Liberty and Toby," Melisa said.

They quickly headed onto the dance floor and alerted Toby and Liberty to the emergency. Without a second thought, they all left the club and headed to their cars. Liberty, Melisa and Xavier drove on to the hospital after finding out which one the ambulance was taking Emma to. Toby drove to the auto-repair garage and told Jay what was going on. They quickly left and drove out to the hospital.

When they all arrived there, Toby, Liberty, Melisa and Xavier took a seat in the waiting area. Jay spoke to the receptionist and she directed him to the room Emma was in. When he finally found it, he stepped inside. Emma smiled when she saw Jay enter. She was laying back on the bed with several doctors around her for comfort.

"Hey baby, are you okay?" Jay asked.

"I'm great, now that you're here," Emma replied.

"I'm here to stay, no matter how long it takes," Jay assured her.

"I love you, Jay," Emma told him.

"I love you, too," Jay responded."You're going to be fine."

While Jay was there, Emma's labor continued to progress. She tried to deal with the pain, but when it became too unbearable, she had to scream for the epidural. Once it was given to her, the pain decreased and she felt at ease. Finally, at 11:42AM, a healthy, baby girl was born. After she came out, Emma laid back and exhaled. She was totally worn out from all of the pushing.

"Emma, she's so beautiful," Jay said, happily.

Emma barely heard him; she was just too out of it. After the nurses cleaned the baby up, Jay actually had the chance to hold her before Emma did. Jay's heart pounded slowly as he held the loveliest thing he's ever seen. Two adorable, precious babies have been born. Their mothers were relieved and overjoyed. However, the big question has yet to be answered for both Jay and Sean. Who fathered Manny and Emma's babies?

**Next chapter: The Paternity Test Results. Brace Yourselves! **


	53. Wonder Why They Call You Bytch

*This chapter is named after a song by Tupac Shakur*

When Emma recovered from the labor, she held the baby in her arms. She named her beloved newborn daughter, Taylor Destiny Nelson. She was born seven pounds, six ounces. She and Jay were both amazed at how precious she looked. Emma cried with tears of pure joy and delight, just like she did when she had her first child.

A while after Taylor was born Jay excused himself from Emma's hospital room. He was completely exhausted and he had to work that same night, but he was happy that he stayed with Emma throughout the entire birth process. Jay headed into the waiting room and saw Liberty and Toby. He was glad to know that they were being such supportive friends by waiting at the hospital for so many hours.

"Hey guys," Jay greeted them.

"Hey," Toby and Liberty responded.

"You guys look tired," Jay commented.

"We are, but Emma's our friend," Liberty stated."We had to be here for her."

"Well, we appreciate you guys staying here," Jay told them.

"So, is the baby here?" Toby asked.

"Yeah, she was born an hour ago," Jay reported."She seems nice and healthy too."

"Oh, that's great," Liberty said.

"Are you guys working today?" Jay asked.

"I was supposed to host Saturday detention, but I got someone to cover for me," Toby replied.

"And I took today off," Liberty told him."Thank goodness for that; I am totally exhausted."

"So am I," Jay said, with a yawn."You guys should go home and get some sleep. You can come back and see the baby later on tonight, if you want."

"Yeah, we'll definitely be back tonight," Liberty assured.

"Yeah," Toby agreed.

"By the way, where did Melisa and Xavier go?" Jay asked.

"They went to the cafeteria downstairs," Liberty replied.

After saying goodbye, Jay headed downstairs to the cafeteria. He glanced around until he saw Melisa and Xavier sitting at a table. They were kissing each other passionately. Jay approached the table and smiled at them until they looked up at him.

"Wow, I see you guys are getting along well," Jay told them.

"Yeah, I'm so glad I met him," Melisa said.

"We feel like we've known each other forever," Xavier added.

"I'm sorry your date was cut short," Jay apologized.

"It's really not a problem, Jay," Melisa insisted.

"Yeah, the hospital is a nice, quiet atmosphere that gave us plenty of time to talk and get to know each other," Xavier told him.

"Well, that's good," Jay said."It's been a long night. Are you guys sleepy?"

"Yeah," Melisa and Xavier both replied.

"So, go home and get some sleep," Jay told them."That's what Liberty and Toby are doing. They'll be back later to see the baby."

"Yeah, I definitely want to see her too," Melisa said."It's really a girl, right?"

"Yeah," Jay nodded.

After saying goodbye and thanking them again, Jay went to get a soda from the vending machine as Melisa and Xavier left the hospital. A few seconds later, Jay stood outside, drank his soda and lit up a cigarette. He inhaled deeply as he thought about what the paternity tests results would be when he and Sean takes it.

Christine and Archie visited the hospital to see their second granddaughter. As expected, they were instantly drawn to the baby. As promised, Liberty, Toby and Melisa came to see baby Taylor. Xavier would have come as well, but he had to work. Emma was allowed to bring Taylor home that Monday.

Eventually, a month passed and the warm month of April arrived. Emma was ready to return to work a month after Taylor was born. Taylor is now a whole month old and Manny's baby, Angel, is now eight months old. Sean and Jay finally took the DNA tests for Angel and Taylor.

Finally, the day arrived that the results were in at a local paternity-testing center. Melisa and Xavier volunteered to babysit all of the kids at Melisa's apartment. Liberty and Toby wanted to go with Emma, Jay, Sean and Manny to show their support. So, Melisa and Xavier agreed to watch Ryder and Coral too. Melisa greeted everyone as she let them inside to drop off the kids.

"Melisa, you met Sean already," Emma stated."Well, this is Manny."

"Nice to meet you," Melisa said, politely.

"Same," Manny said.

They shook hands.

"This is my new boyfriend Xavier," Melisa introduced him.

Xavier greeted Manny and Sean and shook hands with them both.

"So Manny, everyone keeps telling me that you and I look alike," Melisa told her.

"Really?" Manny responded.

Melisa and Manny took a closer look at each other for a few seconds and then they both said," No way."

Everyone laughed at them because they were the only two that couldn't see the resemblance between them. Dakota approached her mother while she was holding Taylor.

"Do you mind if I hold her?" Dakota asked.

"Of course I don't mind," Emma replied."She's your sister."

Emma carefully placed Taylor into Dakota's arms. She smiled as she held her baby sister for the first time.

_You are so cute, _Dakota thought_. Too bad we have HER for a mother. If my dad is not your dad, that'll only make us half-sisters. _

"She is adorable," Sean commented.

"Very," Manny agreed.

"Thank you," Emma said, softly."Angel's adorable too."

"Thanks," Manny said.

After saying goodbye, they all left the kids with Melisa and Xavier. Emma, Jay, Manny, Sean, Toby and Liberty all headed out to their cars and drove to the clinic. They sat in a secluded room to wait for the paternity test results.

"Taylor is only a month old," Liberty stated."Are you sure you want to return to work already?"

"Yeah, I like to work," Emma insisted."I found a good daycare and everything. When I go to work in the morning, Jay's going to take her to daycare, then he's going to pick her up at five o clock and take her to my parents' house. After that, he's going to work and I'm going to pick her up from my parents' house when I get off of work."

"That sounds like a good schedule," Toby said.

"Yeah, we planned it before she was even born," Jay added.

Meanwhile, Manny and Sean were having their own conversation. They spoke lowly to avoid being heard.

"Baby, I know I cheated and you know I'm sorry," Sean stated."But I meant to ask you, if Emma's baby turns out to be mine. Will you be upset?"

"No," Manny replied."I was upset when you cheated but I forgave you. I won't be upset if it's your baby though."

"Oh," Sean said.

"Will you be upset if Angel isn't yours?" Manny asked.

"No," Sean replied."I already told you before he was born that I will support you no matter what. But I really do hope he's my son."

"We'll just hope for the best, baby," Manny told him.

A few minutes later a tall, grey-haired doctor arrived, carrying a folder. He introduced himself as Dr. Kaiser and they all said hello. Dr. Kaiser opened the folder and began reading the results.

"In concern of Angel Santos," Dr. Hanks said."The father is Sean Cameron."

That definitely made Sean and Manny very happy.

"In concern of Taylor Nelson, the father is………………………

"Sean Cameron."

Emma and Jay were instantly devastated at the results. Sean didn't quite know to react. Liberty and Toby could almost feel the pain that was building up in Jay's chest.

"Baby, they're both yours!" Manny cheered."Isn't that great?"

Everyone except Sean looked at Manny as if she was stupid. They were appalled at Manny's nerve. Jay held his head down; his hands were clenched tightly into fists. He was boiling with rage. Concerned, Emma reached for his hand.

"Don't fucking touch me!" Jay snapped.

Emma was hurt and shocked at his reaction.

"I can't believe this shit," Jay growled.

"Jay, I'm sorry, man," Sean said.

"Fuck you!" Jay cursed him."I don't need your apology."

Jay stood up and glared at Emma, Sean and Manny with momentary contempt.

"When you all were together……I hope you had a lot of fun," he said, angrily.

Jay shook his head in dismay and walked out of the room. Emma buried her face in her hands and started crying. Liberty put a hand on her shoulder.

"Emma, it's going to be okay," Liberty tried to her comfort her.

Liberty and Toby tried to console Emma while Sean spoke with the doctor to question the accuracy of the paternity test results.

"Doctor, are you sure Jay didn't father at least one of them?" Sean asked.

"Mr. Cameron, I assure you that there aren't any errors in these results," Dr. Kaiser told him."They're both yours."

Listening to Sean's conversation with the doctor and watching Jay walk out, Manny felt terrible. She realized that she hurt Jay. So, she stood up from the chair and left the room. She walked swiftly downstairs in search of an exit. Once she found one, she stepped out of the building. Manny saw Jay walking far ahead of her.

"Jay, wait up!" Manny hollered.

Jay turned around and stared furiously at Manny as she jogged up to him. She stopped when she was about a foot away from him.

"What the fuck do you want, Manny?" Jay growled.

"I am so sorry," Manny apologized.

"Like I told your boyfriend, I don't need your fucking apology," Jay snapped.

"Jay!" someone called.

Jay saw Emma running up to him. She stopped next to Manny and looked at him with sorrow in her teary eyes.

"I'm sorry," Emma told him.

"I shouldn't be mad at you, Emma," Jay sighed."But I can't help it."

"Honey, I understand," Emma said."I don't want you to stay upset. So, let's go home and talk."

"Emma, I don't want to talk," Jay insisted."Just leave me the hell alone."

"Jay, believe me, I feel awful," Manny told him.

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch!" Jay snapped.

"Jay, why are you calling me a bitch?" Manny asked, hurt.

"Because that's what you are," Jay retorted.

"Okay, I'm a bitch," Manny responded, sarcastically."I'm the bad guy. Happy now?"

"Don't say another fucking word to me," Jay snarled."We need to get our divorce done and over with. Your baby is not mine, so we have no reason to communicate from now on."

"Have it your way," Manny shrugged.

"I can't believe I ever loved someone as cold as you," Jay stated.

Manny nodded in disappointment and then walked away. She was completely speechless. Throughout the many years they've been married, Jay has never called her a bitch. They've argued and even fought a few times, but Jay has never called her that word.

"Jay, where are you going?" Emma asked, crying."I'm the one who drove us here."

"I'll take a bus," Jay muttered.

Jay turned around and walked away.

"Jay please……" Emma sobbed.

He ignored her and continued walking away. Like a scene from a tragic romance film, lightning struck and rain immediately fell down. As Emma broke down and cried, the rain hid her tears and the thunder drowned her sobs. Liberty and Toby hurried outside towards her. Emma was too sad to even move, so Liberty and Toby had to physically lead her to her car. It was starting to get dark outside.

Back at Melisa's apartment, she and Xavier were still watching the kids. Dakota was in the living room watching TV with Ryder and Coral. Melisa and Xavier were in the bedroom with the babies. Angel and Taylor were lying next to each on the bed, sleeping.

"They are so adorable," Melisa said."They're like dolls."

"I know," Xavier agreed.

"It's a shame their parents aren't getting along," Melisa commented.

"We're still not sure who they're parents are yet," Xavier said.

"We already know who their mothers are," Melisa stated."Their fathers remain a mystery though."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"It looks like we're about to uncover that mystery now," Xavier told her.

Melisa and Xavier left the bedroom and headed towards the door. Melisa opened the door and Emma, Liberty and Manny stepped inside the apartment. Sean and Toby were outside, waiting in their cars.

"Kids, your moms are here!" Melisa called out.

Dakota walked up to the front door where everyone else was.

"Hey Dakota," Liberty said."Where's Ryder and Coral?"

"They fell asleep in the living room," Dakota replied.

"I'll get them up," Melisa said.

She and Xavier headed into the living room to wake up the twins.

"Mom?" Dakota said.

"Yeah?" Emma and Manny both answered.

Emma was appalled and hurt when she realized that her daughter was talking to Manny.

"How did the test go?" Dakota asked.

"They're both your dad's," Manny replied.

"Yes!" Dakota cheered.

"Sweetie, go get your brother," Manny told her."Your dad's waiting in the car."

"Okay," Dakota said."Just let me use the bathroom really quick."

Manny nodded. Dakota walked away and headed to the bathroom. Emma and Liberty were both staring angrily at Manny. A few seconds later, Xavier and Melisa came back to the front with Ryder and Coral.

"Hey, sweethearts," Liberty said."Were you behaving yourselves?"

"Yes," the twins replied.

"They were really good," Melisa said.

"Well, thanks for keeping them, you guys," Liberty said.

"You're welcome," Melisa and Xavier said.

"Come on, you two," Liberty told the twins."Daddy's waiting."

"Okay," the twins said.

"Emma, I'll call you when I get home," Liberty said.

"Okay," Emma murmured.

"Manny, you are a cruel, detestable bitch," Liberty told her, bluntly.

Manny just rolled her eyes. Liberty headed out of the door with her kids. Emma turned to Manny and locked her infuriated eyes on her.

"She calls you mom now?" Emma asked, angrily.

"I don't ask her to, she just does," Manny insisted.

"First, you stole my husband, now you're trying to steal my daughter?!" Emma exclaimed.

"You stole my husband too!" Manny argued.

Emma glared at Manny with utter hatred. She wanted nothing more than to strangle her with her bare hands, but she had to control herself.

"Look Emma, I'm sorry," Manny sighed.

Emma glared at her for another second and then looked away.

"Melisa, I'm going to get my baby and leave before I kill her," Emma stated, pointing at Manny.

"Sure, she's in my room," Melisa told her.

As Emma walked towards Melisa's bedroom, Melisa and Xavier looked at Manny in disgust.

"What the hell are you two looking at?" Manny snapped at them."You don't know me and you don't know a damn thing about me."

Melisa and Xavier just shook their heads and walked away. A few seconds later, Dakota came back out with Angel. She and Manny left out the door.

"I am so pissed off and this isn't even my situation," Melisa stated."If I was Emma, I would've slapped that evil bitch."

"I don't even hit women, but I would make an exception for a chick like Manny," Xavier said.

Emma came from the bedroom carrying Taylor in a baby carrier, which also converts into a carseat.

"So Emma, how did it go?" Melisa asked.

"Jay didn't father any of them," Emma revealed, regretfully."They're both Sean's."

Melisa and Xavier were disappointed; they were hoping that Jay was the father of at least one of them, especially Taylor. Emma said goodnight to them and left out the door. She headed outside to her car and strapped the baby in her carseat. After making sure it was secure, she hopped in the driver's seat and drove home.


	54. Right Now

{I'm feeling cold today; not hurt, just fucked away. I'm devastated and frustrated. God, I feel so bound.}(Jay's angry thoughts)

*This chapter is named after a song by Korn*

Jay was waiting at the bus stop with an umbrella to shield him from the rain. He was still very angry and hurt. He watched Emma give birth to Taylor and he's grown attached to her ever since. It was devastating to find out that she wasn't his. Jay didn't father any of their babies.

His thoughts were interrupted when the bus pulled up. Jay stepped onto the bus and paid his fare. He noticed that it was crowded, but he found a seat towards the front. He sat in between a heavyset guy and an elderly, black woman.

The seat was sort of uncomfortable because the elderly, black woman had her bags on the seat. Jay barely had enough room.

"Excuse me, Miss," Jay said.

"Yes?" the lady responded.

"Can you please move your bags so I can fit in here a little better?" Jay asked.

"Young man, where am I supposed to put my bags?" the lady asked.

"There's some floor space," Jay suggested.

"I'm not putting my bags on that dirty floor!" the lady exclaimed.

"Can you put them on your lap?" Jay asked.

"Why are you so concerned about my bags?" the lady asked, annoyed.

"Because they're taking up space," Jay replied, politely."I can barely fit here."

"Lord, have mercy!" the lady exclaimed."Grow up! If you're in an uncomfortable position, why don't you just be a man and stand until you find room yourself? Don't get on the bus and harass me!"

"Ma'am, I'm not harassing you," Jay insisted.

"Yes, you are!" the lady argued.

"I'm just kindly asking you to move your bags," Jay told her.

"My bags are not to blame for your discomfort," the lady insisted."The man sitting next to you is a large guy and the woman sitting beside him is quite hefty as well. I'm the smallest person sitting here, which is the reason why you decided to harass me! And you expect me to shrink my ass so you can be comfortable. That's the bottom line!"

The old lady's yelling was giving Jay a headache.

"But Miss, your bags are taking up unnecessary space," Jay stated.

"Look, I'm not going to argue with you!" the lady shouted."I'm not moving! And I am not adjusting myself for you! Do you understand me?"

"Whatever, lady," Jay muttered.

"If you want to squeeze your ass in that tight space, just sit there and be quiet," the lady snapped."Don't harass me!"

"Look lady, nobody wants to hear your mouth!" another passenger yelled from the back.

"Oh Lord, another white person butting in!" the lady exclaimed."I don't even have to look back there to see what color you are!"

"Who do you think you are, Rosa Parks?" the passenger snapped."We all pay the same carfare price. You could've let the man sit comfortably instead of being so mean!"

"No, I have a bus pass that indicates that I am paid up until the end of the month!" the lady screamed."Alright?! My job pays for my bus pass! Don't worry about how I pay my goddamn fare; it automatically comes out of my CHECK!"

"Maybe your cranky old ass should retire," Jay muttered, under his breath.

"Excuse me?" the lady snapped.

"Nothing," Jay sighed.

"That's the problem with you young bastards these days," the lady continued."Ya'll have no respect for your elders."

There was no use in arguing with the old lady, so Jay and the other passenger just remained quiet. Jay was already furious about the DNA test results so he didn't want to lose his temper and curse out an elderly woman. His grandmother died last year and she'd be turning over in her grave if he disrespected an old person. So, Jay just sat there and put up with the discomfort.

Finally, the bus stopped near a bar. Jay got off of the bus and walked across the street. He walked into the bar and took a seat on the stool. He ordered some liquor and a pack of cigarettes. For the next three hours or so, Jay drank a lot of liquor as he smoked cigarette after cigarette. He was clearly miserable; all he could think about what was Emma, Manny and Sean.

"Life is so fucking unfair!" Jay yelled out."I loved those stupid cunts! And this is what I get?!"

The other customers at the bar looked at Jay as if he was crazy.

"I tried to be a good fucking person, but nobody fucking appreciates me!" Jay continued to rant.

"Hey buddy, keep your problems to yourself!" a chubby drunk guy yelled."Nobody gives a shit!"

"Mind your own business, you fat fuck!" Jay snapped.

"Well, bring it on, asshole!" the guy challenged him.

The two men quickly stood up and prepared to fight.

"Hey, sit down or get the hell out!" the bartender shouted, angrily.

Jay and the other guy quickly sat back down and left it alone. Jay was ashamed that as a grown man, he almost got into a bar fight. He was also ashamed about the argument he had with the old lady on the bus. He wasn't mad at any of them. The people he was mad at were Sean, Emma and Manny. _Especially _Manny.

Finally, at around 11:00PM, Jay was ready to leave. He was extremely drunk and his head was swirling. There was no way he could walk home or take another bus, so he pulled out his cell phone to make a call. He needed someone to pick him up.

Meanwhile, Melisa and Xavier were still at Melisa's apartment. They were lying in the bed naked underneath the sheets, holding each other. They just made love for the first time after a month of dating.

"Was it good, baby?" Xavier asked.

"What do you think?" Melisa responded."Did you count the orgasms?"

"No, but I felt you having a lot of them," Xavier replied.

"So, obviously it was good," Melisa said."As a matter of fact, it was amazing."

They kissed each other softly.

"I definitely needed it," Melisa told him."I needed to get my mind off of Manny. I'm still pissed about what happened."

"Yeah, it was terrible," Xavier agreed.

Suddenly, Melisa's cell phone rang. She grabbed it off of her night table and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Melisa, it's-it's Jay," Jay said, with a drunken slur.

"Hi, Jay," Melisa said."What's up? Are you okay?"

"I'm kind of drunk right now," Jay told her.

"Where are you?" Melisa asked.

"I'm at Elton's bar," Jay replied."Can you come pick me up?"

"Sure, but I don't know where Elton's bar is," Melisa said.

"I do," Xavier told her.

"Xavier knows where it is," Melisa said."We're on our way."

Melisa and Xavier got out of the bed and starting putting their clothes on. When they were finished getting dressed, they left the apartment and exited the building. They got into Xavier's car and drove off. It took them twenty minutes to arrive at the bar. Xavier parked his car and then he and Melisa headed inside the bar. They looked around for a little while to find Jay. When they spotted him sitting on a barstool, they walked over towards him.

"Jay," Melisa said.

"Oh, hey guys," Jay responded.

"You ready to go?" Xavier asked.

"Sure, but let's have a drink first," Jay replied.

"No," Melisa said, sharply."We don't want a drink and neither does your drunk ass."

"We're taking you home now," Xavier added.

"Okay," Jay groaned.

Melisa grabbed Jay's right arm while Xavier grabbed his left. They had to keep him balanced as they walked him towards the exit.

"Jay, we're really sorry about tonight," Melisa told him."But what the hell is getting drunk going to solve?"

"It's going to keep me from breaking the bitch's neck," Jay responded.

"I hope you're not talking about Emma," Melisa said, coldly.

"No, I'm talking about Manny," Jay told her.

"Don't even worry about that dumb whore," Melisa said."Just forget about her."

When they got outside, Jay leaned over and puked onto the ground. Some of it splashed onto Xavier's sneaker.

"Fuck!" Xavier exclaimed.

"Sorry, man," Jay moaned.

"Jay, are you okay?" Melisa asked.

Jay nodded. They headed over to Xavier's car and helped Jay settle in the backseat. Xavier headed back into the bar and took some paper towels from the bathroom to clean off his sneaker. After that, he headed back to his car and hopped in the driver's seat. Melisa was sitting in the passenger's side. They drove off and pulled up in front of Emma's house a few minutes later. After getting out of the car, they helped Jay walk up to the front door. They rang the doorbell.

A few seconds later, Emma came downstairs to answer it. It was apparent from her face that she was very tired.

"Jay, where the hell were you?" Emma asked, heatedly.

"He got drunk and he asked us to pick him up from the bar," Melisa told her.

"Thanks guys," Emma said.

Melisa, Xavier and Emma helped Jay walked up the stairs to Emma's bedroom. They removed his jacket and his sneakers and then laid him down on the bed.

"Are you feeling alright, Emma?" Melisa asked.

"I'm fine," Emma replied.

"Are you sure?" Melisa asked.

"Yeah," Emma sighed.

"Well, have a good night," Xavier told her.

"You too," Emma said."Thanks again."

"You're welcome," Xavier said.

Xavier and Melisa gave Emma a hug and then left the house. Emma looked at Jay, sprawled out on the bed looking weak and ill.

"Jay, I was worried sick about you," Emma told him, angrily.

"I'm a grown man," Jay murmured.

"Why didn't you return my calls?" Emma demanded."I know you're mad, but at least I was honest with you. I told you that there was a fifty percent chance that Taylor wasn't yours."

Jay didn't respond, he just shut his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Whatever," Emma rolled her eyes.

She turned off the light and left the bedroom. She walked into Taylor's room. She was fast asleep in her crib. Emma reached inside and picked her up. Unfortunately, she woke her up in the process and she began to cry.

"It's okay, sweetie," Emma said, softly."Don't cry. Mommy's here."

It only took a few seconds to calm Taylor down and get her back to sleep. Emma headed into Dakota's old bedroom, lied down on the bed with the baby and fell asleep.


	55. Spend My Life With You

{Can I just see you every morning when I open my eyes? Can I just feel your heart beating beside me every night? Can we just feel this way together 'til the end of all time? Can I just spend my life with you?}(Sean's thoughts to Manny)

{Can you run to these open arms when no one else understands? Can we tell God and the whole world I'm your woman and you're my man? Can you just feel how much I love you with one touch of my hand? Can I just spend my life with you?}(Manny's thoughts to Sean)

*This chapter is named after a song by Eric Benet and Tamia*

When Emma woke up in the morning, she showered, dressed herself, dressed baby Taylor and then headed out the door. After she dropped Taylor off at the infant daycare, she drove to work. Jay woke up at eleven o clock in the morning with the worst hangover ever. In addition to being sick, Jay was overwhelmed with sadness over the paternity test results. Suddenly, he broke down and cried his eyes out.

For the next two weeks or so, the nature of Emma and Jay's relationship was very distant, if they still even had a relationship for that matter. Jay just turned thirty-eight, but he wouldn't let Emma celebrate his birthday with him. He was so down that he just wanted it to be ignored. They used to make love every night, now it just wasn't happening anymore. They hardly spoke to each other although they lived in the same house and slept in the same bed.

It was a sunny, Saturday afternoon and Manny was pushing baby Angel in his stroller through the park. The air was cool, but not too cold. The weather was beautiful for an April in Canada. Sean was at work and Dakota was spending the weekend at a friend's house. Suddenly, Angel began to cry.

"Aw, what's the matter, baby?" Manny asked, sweetly.

Manny pushed the stroller towards a bench and took Angel out of it. She sat on the bench with Angel on her lap. She removed a bottle from his diaper bag and handed it to him. Angel held his bottle and started drinking.

"Yeah, that's a good boy," Manny cooed.

Manny rocked her baby on her lap as he drank his bottle. Suddenly she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Manuela?"

Manny looked up and saw her mother, Mrs. Santos, walking towards her. She was wearing a purple jogging suit and running sneakers. Mrs. Santos was always a rather slim woman, but now that she's in her sixties, she gained over fifty pounds. Her raven black hair was turning gray and she wears eyeglasses to aid her poor vision.

"Mom?" Manny said."What are you doing here?"

"It's such a lovely day, Manuela," Mrs. Santos replied."I decided to take a walk as my doctor suggested. I'm sixty-seven years old and overweight; I need to get in shape."

Manny didn't respond; she was still angry with her mom.

"Aw, look at my handsome grandson," Mrs. Santos crooned."Can I hold him?"

"Oh, _now _you want to hold him?" Manny responded, sharply.

"He's my grandson, Manuela," Mrs. Santos said.

"He was your grandson eight months ago when he was born," Manny stated, sternly."He was also your grandson when you and Dad shut him out because you were ashamed of how he was brought here."

"Okay Manuela, let's talk," Mrs. Santos told her.

Mrs. Santos took a seat on the bench beside Manny. Manny just glared at her mother for a few seconds and then placed Angel onto her lap. Mrs. Santos smiled as she held her grandbaby for the first time.

"Hello, little one," Mrs. Santos said, joyfully."You are so cute and so chubby, just like your mommy and uncle were when they were your age."

"Mom, I'm still really mad at you and Dad," Manny told her."I can't believe you would disown your own grandchild for something that wasn't even his fault."

"I know and I'm sorry," Mrs. Santos apologized.

"I'm not sure if sorry is going to cut it," Manny insisted."I'm really hurt, Mom."

"Manuela, you may not want to hear this, but your father and I were hurt about the poor, immoral decisions you made with your life and your marriage," Mrs. Santos stated."Your father and I loved Jay; we thought he made such a fine husband. Now, you're in a relationship with the man who was once married to your best friend. It was heartbreaking and appalling."

Manny sighed in annoyance. She was so sick of being criticized.

"However, it was wrong for us to take that out on Angel," Mrs. Santos continued."I admit that and I apologize for it, on my behalf and your father's."

"So, you don't apologize for judging me and putting me down?" Manny asked, disappointedly.

"Why should I?" Mrs. Santos shrugged.

"Because I'm sick of you talking to me like I'm a piece of trash," Manny responded, angrily.

"And I'm sick of you shaming our family!" Mrs. Santos exclaimed."You brought this upon yourself; you treat yourself like trash by doing the disgraceful things that you do."

Manny was offended, so she stood up.

"Give me my son back," she demanded."I'm leaving."

"No, I'm talking to you," Mrs. Santos argued."Sit down, Manuela."

"I'm ready to go!" Manny barked.

"I said sit!" Mrs. Santos raised her voice.

Manny rolled her eyes and sat back down on the bench.

"Your father and I raised you to the best of our ability," Mrs. Santos stated."We taught you and your older brother to have faith in God and to love yourselves."

"Just because I'm not perfect it doesn't mean I don't love myself or God," Manny insisted.

"We never expected you to be perfect," Mrs. Santos told her.

"You and dad did nothing but criticize me my entire life," Manny said, with tears in her eyes.

"We may have been a little hard on you, but there were times when I was very patient and understanding," Mrs. Santos said.

"When?!" Manny exclaimed, as tears rolled down her cheek.

"Do you remember when your dad and I didn't want you to pursue an acting career?" Mrs. Santos asked.

"Yeah," Manny replied.

"Didn't we eventually support you in the end?" Mrs. Santos asked.

Manny sighed and nodded.

"That's not even my best example," Mrs. Santos said."I have an even better one."

Manny wiped her tears away and listened.

"I remember the shocking news you told me when you were fourteen years old," Mrs. Santos continued."You told me that you were pregnant by that Craig guy. I was upset, but didn't I support your decision to get an abortion?"

"Yes," Manny sighed.

"Abortion violates our religious morals and you know that, Manuela," Mrs. Santos stated, tearfully."When you got pregnant, I could've sent you to that convent in the Philippines like your Aunt Florentina did with your cousin Mary, but I didn't do that. I showed you that you can trust me as your mother and to this very day, your father does not know about the abortion. I kept your secret for many years and I will take it to the grave with me."

"I know, Mom," Manny murmured.

This was an emotional moment for mother and daughter, so they took several seconds to dry their tears.

"So, did you find out who Angel's father is?" Mrs. Santos asked.

"Yes, it's Sean," Manny replied.

"Oh," Mrs. Santos responded, with a little disappointment.

"I'm really happy, Mom," Manny told her."Sean is wonderful. He takes good care of his daughter. He takes good care of his son. And he takes good care of me. I am really, really in love with this man."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that he's treating you well," Mrs. Santos said."Have you divorced Jay yet?"

"No, but I'm planning on it," Manny replied."Sean divorced Emma last year though."

"I may not be very happy to hear that, but you're still my daughter and I want you in my life," Mrs. Santos told her."I regret not getting to know my grandson for the first eight months of his life, but I'm ready now. So, if it's okay with you, I'd like to keep him overnight."

Manny looked at Angel; he was fast asleep in his grandmother's arms.

"That'll be nice, but what would Dad say?" Manny asked.

"Manuela, for once in my life, I don't care what your father says," Mrs. Santos replied."I've been his devoted, Catholic wife for forty-four years and I've supported him with every decision he's ever made. But you and Angel are my flesh and blood; I wouldn't forsake you for the world. Not even your father."

"Thanks, Mom," Manny said.

"And if Sean and Dakota is that important to you, I'd like to have them over for dinner tomorrow night," Mrs. Santos offered.

"Are you serious?" Manny asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Santos nodded.

"That'll be great, Mom," Manny said, smiling.

"I love you, Manuela," Mrs. Santos told her.

"I love you too," Manny responded.

They gave each other a kiss on the cheek. After that, they stood up and got Angel settled in his stroller. His diaper bag already contained a night's worth of pampers, bottles, toys and clothes, so he was set. Manny said goodbye to her mother and gave Angel a kiss. Mrs. Santos only lived two blocks from the park, so she was able to walk home.

Manny left the park and headed to her car. She got inside and drove away. She was so happy that her mother came to her senses; she just hoped her father would do the same. Manny pulled into her driveway at around 3:30PM and parked her car. She headed into her house and watched TV in the living room. About an hour later, the phone rang. The caller ID indicated that it was Sean's cell phone, so Manny answered it.

"Hello, my love," Manny said.

"Hey baby," Sean said."I'll be home in a couple hours. Did you cook yet?"

"No honey, I'll get it started it in a few minutes," Manny told him.

"Well, don't worry about it," Sean said."I'm going to make dinner tonight."

"Aw, how sweet," Manny said.

"You're always cooking, let me do it for once," Sean told her.

"Okay, baby," Manny said.

"I'll see you when I get home," Sean said.

"Okay."

After hanging up with Sean, Manny continued to watch TV. At around 6:30PM, Sean entered the house carrying a plastic, grocery bag. He headed into the living room and greeted Manny with a kiss.

"How was work?" Manny asked.

"It was good," Sean replied."How was your day?"

"It was great actually," Manny told him.

"That's good to hear," Sean said."Where's the baby?"

"My mom is keeping him until tomorrow," Manny replied.

"Your mom?" Sean asked, in confusion.

"Yeah, that's what made my day so great," Manny told him."She saw me and Angel at the park today and we wound up talking. At first, it was a little heated because I was still angry at her and my dad about that argument we had. But she apologized and she realized that she was wrong for shutting Angel out the way that she did."

"Well, that's great, baby," Sean said.

"And she's inviting you and Dakota over for dinner tomorrow night," Manny told him.

"Oh, that's very nice," Sean said."After we pick Dakota up from her friend's house tomorrow, we'll go straight there."

"Okay, babe," Manny said.

"I'm going to change out of my work clothes and get started on dinner," Sean told her.

"Okay."

Sean headed upstairs, took a shower and changed into a T-shirt and pajama bottoms. After that, he went down to the kitchen and started preparing dinner. He fixed some homemade sushi with soy sauce on the side. When he was finished, he called Manny into the kitchen and they began to eat.

"You know, Dakota's been my only child for over a decade," Sean said."It just all seems so sudden that I have three kids now. You gave me my first son and Emma…….Emma gave me a second daughter."

"Why did you stall on the last part of what you said?" Manny asked.

"It's just that, I really didn't expect Taylor to be mine," Sean replied."I don't regret it though but I think Emma does."

"Why do you think that?" Manny asked.

"Because she really wanted her to be Jay's, just like you and I wanted Angel to be mine," Sean told her."We got what we wanted but Jay and Emma weren't so lucky."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about that," Manny said.

"I know," Sean sighed."Emma and I may despise each other, but we can't let that interfere with Taylor. She's my daughter and I want to be there for her, but Emma probably wouldn't let me."

"She can't deny you the right to be in your child's life," Manny stated.

"That's true," Sean said."But I just hope she won't turn her against me. She _thinks _you and I turned Dakota against her, but that's not true."

"It definitely isn't," Manny agreed.

Manny picked up another roll of sushi and bit into it. She made a face when her teeth hit something hard.

"What the hell?" she gasped.

Manny ripped the sushi open with her fingers to investigate the strange object inside of it. Her eyes widened with surprise as she discovered a beautiful, diamond ring resting in the middle.

"Sean, it's beautiful," Manny told him.

"Will you marry me?" Sean asked.

"Yes! Yes!" Manny cheered, tearfully."I will!"

They leaned across the table and kissed passionately. When they sat back down, Manny wiped the ring off with a napkin and then slipped it onto her finger.

"Baby, I am so happy," she said.

"I've been saving up for it for months," Sean told her."I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I want to spend the rest of mine with you too," Manny agreed.

"Manny, I love you so much and I know you love me," Sean stated."You love my daughter and I'm so grateful to you for taking her in as your own. We love our son. Everyone just loves each other so much in this house. Now, I want to legitimize our relationship by taking it to that next level, so we can all be a happy family. Just the four of us."

"I'll do anything for you, baby," Manny told him."I'm ready to take it to that level."

"I'm really happy," Sean said.

"So, when do you want to get married?" Manny asked.

"I don't know," Sean replied."But I definitely want it to happen. I just didn't set a date yet."

"Okay, we'll talk about that," Manny said.

"You and Jay are still married, so it's going to be a while," Sean reminded her.

"Yeah, I know," Manny said."I'll stop by the court tomorrow and file for divorce. I'm not wasting any more time."

"Okay, baby," Sean said."I love you."

"I love you too," Manny responded.

They kissed each other again and then finished eating their food. When they were done, they straightened up the kitchen and headed into the living room. They watched TV for a few hours and then went upstairs to the bedroom. They made love all night and then held each other, discussing their future together.


	56. Love Wouldn't Count Me Out

**Author's Note: I appreciate your support as usual and I hope I don't lose your support. My writing-style tends to be a little slow-paced. I have a few more chapters to write before this story ends. BUT, this story is not over yet. There will be a sequel, "Screaming Infidelities Part Two". I've already been working on it and I will post it as soon as I'm finished with the last few chapters of this story. I know you all are dying for Sean and Manny to get what's coming to them and I PROMISE you, it's going to happen. Just bear with me and keep supporting me. You all are loved and appreciated. Be blessed ********. **

{It used to be that you can't live without me; but now you think you're better without me. So, now it's over. And I guess it wasn't true when you said I love you, because love just wouldn't count me out.}(Emma's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Brandy*

Manny was still mesmerized about Sean's proposal; she couldn't believe that they are officially engaged. So, the next day, she drove down to Family Court and filed for her divorce from Jay. The court date was months away, but Manny didn't care. She was just happy that she took that first step.

Manny's day was just getting better and better. When she took Sean and Dakota to have dinner with her parents that night, they were very warm and welcoming. Manny's father, Mr. Santos, finally got over his issue. He accepted Sean, he accepted Dakota and most importantly, he accepted his grandson, Angel. They ate a well-prepared, scrumptious Filipino meal.

Later that night, Emma got off of work and drove off. It was nearly 11:00PM and she was on her way to her parents' house to pick up Taylor. It took her a little over a half hour to get there. When she did, she parked her car and headed up to the front door. After ringing the doorbell, Archie let her inside.

"Hi, Dad," Emma said.

"Hi, Emma," Archie said.

They walked into the living room where Christine was sitting on the couch holding Taylor.

"Hi, sweetheart," Christine greeted her.

"Hi, Mom," Emma said.

"She was no trouble as always," Christine told her.

"Okay," Emma said.

Emma and Archie took a seat on the couch with Christine.

"So, have you and Jay started talking again?" Christine asked.

"He still won't even look me," Emma replied, with a defeated sigh.

"He's being ridiculous," Christine said.

"Ridiculous is an understatement; he's being absurd!" Archie exclaimed."You told him from the very beginning that Taylor may not be his. If he could forgive you for sleeping with Sean, then he could forgive you for Taylor not being his."

"I know, but Jay was there for me while I was pregnant, he was there when Taylor was born and he's been taking care of her ever since," Emma said, sadly.

"I understand his pain, but he can't be mad at you forever," Christine stated.

"Mom, I really love him," Emma told her."I don't know if he plans on leaving me or what."

"Whatever happens, you have to stay strong, Emma," Archie advised her.

"I just feel like everything is falling apart," Emma started to cry."I lost my daughter for no good reason and now I think I'm going to lose Jay. Sean used to my husband and Manny used to be my best friend, but I'm over them. Even though Dakota hates me now, I have faith that she'll come to her senses someday. It may not be soon, but I know it will happen. But Jay is a different story. If I lose him, I think it might be for good and I don't think I can handle that."

Emma buried her face in her hands and cried. Archie put his arm around her.

"Emma, don't cry," Archie told her."You've gone through this already. You never thought you'd be able to live without Sean, but you're completely over him now. If Jay leaves, you'll get over him too. It may take a while, but you're going to be okay. Hear me?"

Emma nodded and wiped her tears away. She talked to her parents for a little while longer and then said goodnight. She took Taylor and drove home. When she arrived home, she noticed that Jay's car was in the driveway. He had the night off from work. Emma parked her car and entered the house. As usual, the dogs greeted her with jumps and licks. She heard the television on in the living room, so she knew Jay was in there.

She walked upstairs to Taylor's bedroom and put her in the crib for the night. After that, she went to the master bathroom and took a shower. When she was finished, she put on a T-shirt, shorts and slippers. After that, she went downstairs to the kitchen and fed the dogs. When Emma was done, she went into the living room and looked at Jay. He turned off the TV and stood up to see what she wanted.

"Jay, where do we stand?" Emma asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Jay asked, annoyed.

"It's a real question," Emma responded, sternly."It's a real question from a real woman who doesn't want to play silly games anymore."

"Don't start with me, Emma," Jay snapped.

"Jay, I'm not starting with you," Emma insisted."You haven't spoken to me for two weeks, ever since the paternity test results. I have to know what I expect between us."

"Don't expect much of anything," Jay told her."I am sick of this."

"Sick of what, Jay?!" Emma exclaimed.

"I don't feel like arguing right now," Jay muttered.

"If you would just answer my question, the argument would be over quicker," Emma told him.

"You wanna know where we stand?" Jay asked.

"Yes," Emma replied."Are you leaving me?"

"Yeah, I found a place yesterday," Jay told her."I'm moving out by the end of the week."

"When were you going to tell me?" Emma asked.

"It doesn't matter," Jay said."I'm telling you now, aren't I?"

"Fine, Jay," Emma sighed."Have a nice life."

"So, you're not even going to debate with me about it?" Jay asked.

"Jay, I love you and I'm hurt to see you go, but I am not kissing your ass," Emma insisted."If you're totally determined to do what you plan on doing, I'm not going to debate with you about it. It's pointless and I give up. There's only one person I'm not giving up on and that's Dakota. Men like you and Sean come and go. Friends like Manny come and go. But I can't replace my firstborn child with anyone, not even Taylor."

"Don't compare me to Sean," Jay snapped."If you want to replace me, you're more than welcome to that. We don't have to debate about this bullshit."

"You know, this is _exactly _why I didn't want to be in another relationship," Emma stated.

"You told me that shit already!" Jay shouted."You told me that after I found out that you fucked Sean behind my back!"

"You didn't _find out_ anything!" Emma exclaimed."I told you what happened with me and Sean. I was honest with you!"

"Whatever!" Jay snapped."I don't want to hear that shit again! You already told me that."

"Well, I'm telling you again!" Emma yelled."We had an affair while we were still with Sean and Manny, they found out about it and we broke up with them. If you would've just moved on and left me alone after that, we wouldn't be having this argument now."

"Did it ever occur to you that the reason I refused to leave you alone was because I love you?" Jay asked, angrily.

"Yes, I know that," Emma responded, sharply.

"So, why are you being so fucking selfish?!" Jay demanded.

"How the hell am I being selfish?!" Emma shouted.

"Because you're standing there blaming me for this bullshit!" Jay replied, loudly."You think it's all my fault because I didn't let you be alone! Well, sue me for not letting you sit around and cry over Sean all the time! Sue me for trying to show you had somebody else there who really loved you!"

"Whether you want to admit it or not, part of this _is _your fault," Emma told him."Sean and Manny did most of the damage, but you have to accept a small portion of responsibility. I did my part. I slept with Sean and I wound up pregnant with Taylor. I apologized for it and I've been totally honest with you since the beginning. I haven't lied to you once since we've been together. You even told me that you would've done the same thing with Manny if you two were alone together. So, if you ask me, you're no more innocent than I am."

"Again, you're being selfish," Jay stated.

"No, I'm not," Emma insisted.

"Blaming everyone except yourself is the very fucking definition of selfish," Jay growled.

"Why do you aspire to be like the person you hate the most right now?" Emma asked.

"Excuse me?" Jay responded, heatedly.

"You're ready to walk away because you can't deal with certain issues," Emma told him."You like to put on this aggressive "bad-ass" act because deep down inside, you're just a scared little boy. You and Sean are just alike in that aspect."

"Look Emma, if you're going to keep comparing me to Sean, I'm leaving right now!" Jay threatened."I won't wait until next week."

"Jay, you're not doing me any favors by staying here until next week," Emma insisted."As a matter of fact, maybe you should leave now. The sooner I don't have to see your face anymore, the sooner I can forget about you."

For a few seconds, Jay and Emma just stared at each other in a mixture of anger, hurt and bewilderment. Finally, Jay headed upstairs and started packing his things. When he was finished, he walked out the door and drove off. He decided to stay at Towerz and Keisha's house until he moves in his apartment next week.

Emma was sad to see him go, but she took her stepfather's advice and remained strong. Emma didn't have time to cry and pine over any men. She had a veterinary career, a household to run, dogs to take care of and a new baby to take care of. Her plate was full and she had to tend to her priorities. Maybe she and Jay could try to work it out again, but she wasn't counting on it. Emma loved Jay with all her heart and soul, but she had other important things to live for.

A week has passed and Jay was grateful to Towerz and Keisha for always being there for him in times of need. His grandmother's life insurance policy and life savings awarded him with $320,000. She wasn't the richest person in the world, but she and her husband were very financially stable when they were alive. Jay offered to pay Towerz and Keisha for their loyalty, they declined and insisted that they do what they do out of love and kindness. That same week, Jay was served with his divorce papers. The court date was only a few months away.

**Next chapter: Jay and Manny's INTENSE divorce. **


	57. Your Time Is Gonna Come

{Do what you want; I won't take the brunt. It's fading away; I can't feel you anymore. Don't care what you say 'cause I'm gonna stay away. I'm gonna make you pay for that great big hole in my heart.}(Jay's thoughts to Manny)

*This chapter is named after a song by Led Zeppelin*

Three months passed and the month of July arrived. Jay and Manny were finally ready to go to court for their divorce. They both had lawyers who were willing to do their best to help them win their cases. A pale, thin woman in her fifties by the name of Alice Solberg served as the judge for the divorce case. Not only were they getting a divorce, Manny was also suing Jay for $160,000.

As stated before, Jay was awarded $320,000 from his grandmother's life insurance policy and life savings after her death. One of the rules of the policy was: If Jay commits adultery Manny would automatically receive fifty percent of that money. However, Manny was cheating as well, so the final decision regarding the life insurance money would be up to the judge.

Over the next couple of days in the courtroom, Manny and Jay were examined by their lawyers and cross-examined by each other's lawyers. The jury, the judge and the audience all paid attention to each party's side of the story. Finally, the last date of the court case, Santos v. Hogart arrived. Judge Solberg was ready to render her verdict after she gives a brief overview of the case. She has gathered enough information to come to her conclusion. Upon command of the bailiff, everyone rose up to listen to the judge. Jay and Manny stood with their lawyers and braced themselves for the ruling.

"Today is the final day of Santos v. Hogart; the divorce is complete," Judge Solberg announced.

Jay and Manny were both relieved to hear that.

"I'm going to give a quick overview of the case," Judge Solberg continued."Mr. Hogart and Ms. Santos decided to end their marriage on grounds of infidelity from both parties and lack of harmony. During their marriage, they have partaken in an adulterous affair with another married couple whom they were once close friends with. Last year, that couple had a divorce and now, Mr. Hogart and Ms. Santos decided to the same. Also, Ms. Santos became pregnant with a child during her marriage to Mr. Hogart and during her affair with the man who is now her fiancé. The result of a paternity test proved that Mr. Hogart is not the father of Ms. Santos's son. Mr. Hogart claims that Ms. Santos had an affair with the same man over six years ago. However, Ms. Santos denies this claim; therefore, there's no way it can be proved. Now—"

"Your honor, it's true I swear," Jay told her."Ms. Santos lied to the entire courtroom. She and Mr. Cameron had an affair long before Ms. Nelson and I did. When Ms. Nelson and started our affair, Ms. Santos and Mr. Cameron restarted theirs around the same time. That was not their first affair; it was their second."

"Mr. Hogart, you already made this claim," Judge Solberg said."You have no evidence to support that claim. You cannot prove to the court that Ms. Santos had an affair six years before you had yours. So, how many times are you going to say the same thing?"

"Until you believe it," Jay insisted.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about that because you have no _evidence_!" Judge Solberg raised her voice."Do not get smart with me in my courtroom. I don't care how sure you are about your claim. Your persistence isn't going to do anything except make me angry. And if I get angry, you're going to find yourself in trouble. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your honor," Jay replied.

"Now, I would like to continue with no interruptions," Judge Solberg stated."I'll start with Ms. Santos."

Manny paid close attention as the judge spoke.

"Ms. Santos, I'm going to keep it very brief with you," Judge Solberg told her."You're suing your husband….excuse me….ex-husband for half of his inheritance money. You conceived a child that was proven not to be his while you were still married to him. That is just despicable and if you think I'm going to award $160,000 dollars, you are out of your mind. However—"

"Haha!" Jay mocked Manny."I told you that you weren't getting a dime!"

"Mr. Hogart, be quiet!" Judge Solberg shouted."I already warned you not to interrupt me when I'm speaking. Do you want to be held in contempt for acting like a five-year old child?!"

"No, your honor," Jay sighed.

"You better listen to me, because I'm talking to you now," Judge Solberg told him."I said I'm not awarding Ms. Santos with $160,000, but I did NOT say that I wasn't awarding her with anything at all."

"May I ask why, your honor?" Jay questioned.

"Because the fact remains that you _both _were unfaithful to each other in this marriage," Judge Solberg stated."Ms. Santos became pregnant by the man she was cheating on you with while you were sleeping with that same man's wife. She cheated on you, so I can't award her with fifty percent of your inheritance money like the policy states. However, you were cheating on her as well, so I have to award her with something. Not to mention, you knew that it was a big possibility that her child _could have _been yours and as her legal husband at the time, you were supposed to assist her with rearing that child until the paternity test proved that he wasn't yours. You did not do that; therefore, my final decision is to award Ms. Santos with twenty five percent of that money. $80,000 for the plaintiff!"

Jay wasn't very thrilled about losing a quarter of his inheritance money to Manny. Although Manny had her heart set on $160,000, she had no choice but to settle with the $80,000 she was awarded with.

"Any further questions, Mr. Hogart?" Judge Solberg asked.

"No, your honor," Jay replied.

"Any further questions, Ms. Santos?" Judge Solberg asked.

"No, your honor," Manny said.

"Alright, we stand adjourned," Judge Solberg declared.

She banged her gavel down and then stood up to walk away. After the entire courtroom was dismissed, Jay and Manny had a brief talk with their lawyers concerning the verdict. When they were done, they left the courthouse.

Jay walked to the parking lot across the street. Jay was not happy about giving Manny a quarter of his inheritance money, but it could have been worse. She could have won half of it instead. As Jay walked through the parking lot, he saw Manny heading towards her car.

"Manny!" Jay called out.

Manny stopped and turned around as Jay approached her.

"What is it, Jay?" Manny asked, harshly.

"The divorce is over now but do we have to be on bad terms?" Jay asked.

"No, just don't talk to me anymore," Manny told him.

"Look Manny, I broke up with Emma and I have a lot of crap on my mind right now," Jay stated."I don't have the energy to hate you anymore and I don't want you to hate me."

"We don't have to hate each other," Manny insisted."Just stay the hell away from me."

"Manny, I'm trying to straighten things out with you," Jay told her."But if you want to be bitter, that's fine with me."

"Who are you to call _anyone _bitter?" Manny snapped."Jay, you are the KING of bitter."

"No, I'm not," Jay insisted.

"Yes, you are," Manny argued."You're bitter and you're a bastard!"

"If I was so bitter, I wouldn't be trying to patch things up with your stuck-up ass!" Jay barked.

"Your bitterness cost us a lot," Manny snapped."It cost us our marriage and it cost us TWO fucking babies!"

"What?!" Jay exclaimed."How the fuck are you going to blame me for those miscarriages you had?"

"Because all you did when we lived in New York was act bitter and jealous over what I did with Sean," Manny replied, angrily."I wanted to forget about it and I tried so hard to get our marriage to work, but you kept being an asshole and getting me so upset and stressed all the time. That is what caused my miscarriages those two times you got me pregnant."

"You're being fucking ridiculous," Jay scoffed.

"No, you're being fucking ridiculous," Manny retorted."You refuse to take any responsibility for anything."

"Oh wow, now you sound like Emma," Jay muttered.

"Speaking of Emma, it's you two that are the cause of me and Sean sleeping together again," Manny stated.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Jay asked.

"Did you ever wonder why I started having an affair with Sean again?" Manny asked.

"I used to, but now I really don't give a shit," Jay insisted.

"Well, I think you need to hear this," Manny told him.

"Fine, go ahead, if it's absolutely killing you," Jay said, annoyed.

"A couple months after you and I left New York and moved back to Toronto, Sean called the house _crying," _Manny explained."As your best friend, he asked to speak to you because he was upset about some problems he was having with Emma. When I told him you weren't there, he asked me to meet him at the Dot so he can vent about whatever was upsetting him. So, I met him at the Dot and he told me that Emma was staying out all hours of the night and it made him suspect that she was cheating on him. He and I talked about it for a little bit and then we ended up sleeping together that night. It wasn't planned, it just happened."

"Manny, you're full of shit," Jay snapped."Things like that don't just happen, there had to have been some planning to it."

"Jay, I'm not finished," Manny snarled."I took time to sit and figure this all out. Now, it just makes perfect sense to me. When Sean called for you that night and you weren't there, Emma was nowhere to be found, which means that you were having sex with her somewhere while Sean was crying to me about not knowing what she was up to."

"And your point is?" Jay scoffed.

"My point is that it was your fault and Emma's fault that our marriages fell apart," Manny told him."When you and Emma forgave me and Sean for that first affair we had, we thought everyone was happy again and the drama was all over. But no, you and Emma decided to start an affair of your own four years later! If you two really didn't forgive me and Sean for cheating, you should've divorced us a long time ago."

"I cannot believe I was so stupid to come out here and try to make peace with you," Jay said.

"Yeah, it was a big mistake," Manny stated."I hate you, Jay. I don't want to make peace in you; I hope you rot in hell."

"I'm definitely going to see you there," Jay growled."You know why? Because you're a cold-hearted liar, Manny. You lied to the judge when you said that you and Sean didn't have an affair six years ago. You're lucky I didn't have any evidence."

Manny gave him an evil smile and said."I'm a fucking genius, aren't I?"

"Fuck you, Manny," Jay snapped."I'm done here."

Jay turned around and started walking away, but Manny followed him, antagonizing him.

"Yeah Jay, go back to your pathetic, miserable lonely life," Manny harassed him."My life is good and it's going to stay good. You know why? Because you're not in it anymore! You and Emma thought you would have the last laugh, now look at you two. You guys are broken up and lonely. Sean and I are going to get married while you and Emma stay lonely and miserable. You're nothing but a sad piece of white trash!"

To add on to the pestering, Manny spit on the back of his neck. Suddenly, Jay lost it. He turned around and slapped the HOLY HELL out of Manny! WHAP!! Manny fell to the ground and looked up at Jay with shock and fear in her eyes. He hit her before during their marriage, but NEVER like this. As Jay stared down at Manny on the ground, he felt no sympathy. As a matter fact, it only fueled his rage.

"You fucking bitch!" Jay screamed.

Manny got up and started running. Jay chased her as she hurried to get to her car. Jay was like a hungry tiger and Manny was like a frightened deer. Manny finally made it to her car and got inside. She tried to close the door but Jay grabbed it and tried to pull it open. So, he and Manny wrestled with the car door.

"You wanna fuck with me, bitch?!" Jay yelled, at the top of his lungs."Get out of the fucking car!"

Jay was too strong for Manny, so he managed to yank the door out of her grasp. When he did, he reached inside of the car and grabbed her by the throat. He choked Manny furiously and relentlessly, as she clawed at his hands to try and get him off. But he wouldn't let go. A few seconds later, nearby police officers rushed to the scene and pulled Jay away from her. They slammed Jay over the hood of the car and started handcuffing him as he yelled and cursed. They checked to see if Manny was alright; she wasn't really injured or anything.

"You motherfucker!" Manny screamed at Jay.

"Ma'am, just calm down," a cop told her, politely."We'll handle this."

The cops escorted Jay and Manny to the nearby precinct. Manny explained what happened, but she did not tell the truth. Again, she _lied _and said that Jay attacked her out of rage because he was angry that he had to give up twenty-five percent of his inheritance money by order of the court. She didn't tell them that she provoked him and even _spit _on him.

While Jay was kept at the precinct, Manny was allowed to go home. She got in her car and drove to her house. After pulling into the driveway, she entered the house and headed to the kitchen. Her cheek was swollen from where Jay slapped her, so she held an icepack to it.

At around 6:30PM, Sean arrived home with Angel. Dakota was staying at a friend's house for the night. When Sean saw the swelling on Manny's face, she broke down in tears and explained everything. Unlike the cops, she actually told Sean the truth. She told him that she and Jay were arguing and he attacked her because she spit on him. However, Sean was furious and he was not willing to excuse Jay's actions.

"I'm going to fucking kill him!" Sean shouted."He's a fucking dead man!"

"Sean, just forget about it," Manny told him."It's not worth it."

"I can't believe he hit you!" Sean exclaimed.

"I told you that wasn't the first time," Manny insisted."He hit me a few times in the past, but that was because I hit him first."

"So what? Real men don't hit women," Sean cursed, angrily.

"I'm not upset at him for hitting me; I'm upset at him for hitting me in front of a precinct and a courthouse," Manny stated."I didn't think he was stupid enough to do that."

"I am so fucking pissed," Sean growled."I feel like hitting something right now. Goodness knows I should've slapped the fuck out of Emma when I had the chance."

"Both Jay and Emma can go to hell," Manny responded."They're not even worth a slap or a spit in the face."

Sean tried to calm down as he sat on the couch with Manny.

"I wish I didn't have to work today," Sean sighed, regretfully."I should've been there to protect you from that bastard."

"Don't worry about it, baby," Manny told him."Our divorce is complete and I'm pressing charges against him. I'm getting a restraining order."

"Baby, are you okay?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Manny replied."It's over now. I didn't win $160,000, but I did win $80,000."

"Something is better than nothing," Sean reasoned.

"Yeah, you're right," Manny agreed.

A couple days later, Jay and Manny were back in court for the incident that occurred. Manny lied about what happened. Unfortunately, the cops witnessed Jay attacking Manny, so he couldn't prove that she spit on him and provoked him. As a result, Jay was ordered to pay a big fine and he was sentenced to thirty days in jail. Thirty days was only about a month, but it was still injustice. Manny also filed a restraining order against him and he was ordered to stay a certain amount of yards away from her when he's released from jail.

As Jay sat in his cell, he wallowed in his rage. The only thing he could think about was serving Manny some sweet revenge. He had no idea how he was going to accomplish that with a restraining order against him, but he was determined to do it. Someway. Somehow.

**Author's Note: I'm writing one more chapter for this fanfic and then I'm going to release "Screaming Infidelities Part Two" very, very soon after. So, just stick around, write reviews for this chapter and prepare for the next one.** **If you thought that slap was Manny's karma, you have no idea what ELSE is in store for her. This is a long saga and it's full of pure intensity. **


	58. Kiss Away The Pain

{All the wrong things to be said, we said 'em. We let anger guide the way. I say you're at fault; you say I'm selfish. Now the accusations must be paid with the strain of losing you, the pain of feeling blue. You're hurt and I'm lost. Tell me what are we gonna do? Please come back and kiss away the pain.}(Emma's thoughts to Jay)

*This chapter is named after a song by Patti Labelle*

Another week passed with Jay in jail for slapping Manny in the parking lot. He did seven days and he had twenty-three more days to spend in jail to complete the full thirty-day sentence. His car was still parked in the parking lot he was arrested at, so he called Towerz to ask him to pick up his car and hold it at his house until he gets out. He wanted to call Emma, but his stubborn mind kept telling him not to. So he didn't.

It's been over three months since Emma and Jay broke up, but she did her best to move on and remain strong. However, it became difficult to maintain her strength as time went passed. Taylor was getting thicker and lengthier. She's now four months old. Emma had no idea that Jay was even in jail until Towerz called her a week after he got locked up.

Emma picked up her phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Emma, it's Towerz," Towerz said.

"Oh hi, Towerz," Emma responded."What's up?"

"How are you doing?" Towerz asked.

"Okay, I guess," Emma sighed.

"Have you spoken to Jay since the breakup?" Towerz asked.

"Unfortunately not," Emma replied."Is he still staying with you or did he find his own apartment?"

"Jay's in jail, Emma," Towerz revealed.

"What?!" Emma panicked."Why? What did he do?"

"He got into a fight with Manny the day their divorce was finished," Towerz told her.

"And they only arrested _him_?" Emma asked, disappointedly.

"Yeah and I'm going to tell you why," Towerz stated.

"Yeah, please do," Emma told him.

"Jay told me that after the divorce case was finally over, he and Manny were in the parking lot talking," Towerz explained."He tried to make peace with her but she kept acting like a bitch, so he just gave up. And then when he tried to walk away, Manny started antagonizing him and then she actually had the nerve to spit on him. So, Jay just went crazy and slapped the shit out of her. After that, he grabbed her and started choking her until the cops came. Manny lied to the court and said that Jay attacked her for no reason. The cops didn't see her starting with him, so that's why he's in jail."

"Oh my God!" Emma cried out, angrily."Why does she have to be so fucking evil?!"

"She's a bitch, Emma," Towerz sighed."We all figured that out by now. Keisha doesn't even know you that well, but she's pissed about what happened and she wants to give Manny a good, ghetto-style beat-down," Towerz told her.

"Yeah, real talk, I will FUCK THAT BITCH UP!" Keisha shouted out in the background.

"Tell Keisha I said thanks, but that's not necessary," Emma said, with a slight giggle.

"Baby, Emma said thank you but that's not necessary," Towerz told Keisha.

"I don't have time to be mad at Manny," Emma insisted."I'm worried about Jay. When is he getting out?"

"In three weeks," Towerz replied.

"I miss him so much; I hope he's okay," Emma said.

"Jay's tough," Towerz assured her."You know he'll be alright. He's been in jail for a week already; the judge gave him a thirty-day sentence."

"And he hasn't even thought about calling me," Emma sighed, sadly.

"You know how stubborn Jay is," Towerz said."He doesn't like to be the first to give in. But believe me, he misses you. He told me."

"Really?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Towerz replied.

"I still wish he would call," Emma told him.

"He probably just needs time to cool down," Towerz stated.

"Towerz, I feel so terrible," Emma said, tearfully."I was doing fine for these three months we've been broken up. But now that I know he's in jail, I won't be able to get him off my mind until I see him."

"Trust me, he can't get you off of his mind either," Towerz told her."When he gets out of jail, you and him need to try and work it out. You two are made for each other."

"I really want to believe that but—" Emma said.

"No buts," Towerz stopped her."Do you love him?"

"Yes," Emma said, emotionally.

"Then that's all you need to start believing," Towerz stated.

"Thanks, Towerz," Emma said.

"You're welcome," Towerz responded.

"Listen, I really appreciate you calling me," Emma told him."But I need to think and clear my head."

"Sure, no problem," Towerz said.

"Okay, goodnight and tell Keisha I said goodnight," Emma said.

"I will," Towerz said.

After hanging up with Towerz, Emma started feeding Taylor a bottle. A couple hours later, she changed her diaper and gave her a bath. After that, she put her in the crib for the night. Emma fed the dogs and then fixed herself some tea. Even though it was July, tea was still very soothing.

As Emma sipped her tea, she sat on her bed and watched TV. She was watching some sad opera program. As Emma watched the fat lady sing, she felt the pain of the song she was singing. Various things ran through Emma's mind. She began to think about all the good times she shared with Jay. She thought about the play they went to see together, all the conversations they had, all the laughing, all the joking and all the love they made. She was convinced a long time ago that he was her soulmate.

Lastly, Emma thought about all the bad times she had. She thought about Liberty's birthday party last year when Julian revealed her affair with Jay, her divorce with Sean, Dakota hating her, cheating on Jay with Sean, the paternity test proving that Taylor isn't Jay's baby and her final breakup with Jay. Suddenly, Emma cried her eyes out until she fell asleep. She wanted Jay back.

In the morning, Emma woke up, showered and got dressed for work. She took the dogs outside to defecate and then she brought them back in the house. She fed Taylor and got her dressed for infant daycare. After that, she headed to her car and drove to drop Taylor off. After dropping her off, Emma drove to work.

She worked for a few hours until it was time for her lunch break. After clocking out for lunch, Emma headed to her favorite spot in the nearby park. As she ate her Caesar salad and wheat crackers, her cell phone started ringing. Emma didn't recognize the number on the caller ID, but she answered it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hey Emma," she recognized Jay's voice.

"Jay…..hi," Emma responded, surprised."Are you alright?"

"No," Jay sighed."I'm in jail. Can you believe that shit?"

"I know," Emma said."Towerz called me yesterday and he told me."

"I know you must be ashamed of me," Jay stated, sadly.

"No, I'm not," Emma told him."I'm just worried about you and I really miss you."

"I miss you too," Jay said.

"Jay, I'm really sorry about what happened," Emma said.

"I fucked up, Emma," Jay started to cry."When me and Manny got divorced, she won twenty-five percent of the money my grandmother left for me when she died. Now I have another crime added to my record for assaulting that woman. Damn, I fucking hate her."

Emma felt helpless as she listened to Jay cry his eyes out. She understood how sad, angry and frustrated he was.

"Emma, I really need you," Jay sobbed.

"I need you too," Emma told him.

"I can't talk for long, I just needed to tell you that," Jay said, wiping his tears.

"Well, I needed to hear that," Emma said."I'm feeling sad without you, but we both have to be strong. You only have three more weeks. Just hang in there for me, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try," Jay said.

"I love you," Emma told him, softly.

"I love you too," Jay responded, emotionally.

Hanging up was the hardest thing to do at that moment, but they had no choice. In jail, you only get a certain amount of time on the phone and it wasn't very long.

For the next three weeks, Jay did his time and tried to remain strong. Even though his love for Emma and his hatred for Manny never left his mind, he had to conceal his passion and behave himself. Between work and taking care of Taylor, Emma tried to make missing Jay a little easier by seeking comfort from her parents, Liberty, Melisa, Xavier, Towerz, Keisha and God. She was never super-religious, but praying for Jay was very therapeutic and it gave her hope for their future together.

Finally, after thirty days in jail, Jay was released on parole. However, he didn't care; he was just happy to be out of there. Thirty days was not a life sentence, but it sure felt like one! Jay has been locked up before, but it was something he could never get used to. As he matured, he realized that it wasn't the kind of life he should be living.

Towerz picked Jay up from jail and drove him to his house to pick up his car. Jay hung out with Towerz and Keisha at their house until later that night. It was after 11:00PM and Jay knew that Emma should be getting home from work soon. After thanking Towerz and Keisha for their unyielding loyalty, Jay drove to Emma's house. When he arrived there, he parked his car and stepped out of it. Emma pulled up in the driveway literally twenty seconds later.

When Emma saw Jay, she got out of her car and ran towards him. She leapt into his arms and they hugged each other tightly, as they cried happily. Jay squeezed her firmly and kissed her neck. They broke up three months before he went to jail and then he spent a month in jail. So, it's been four months that they've been apart and they were so overjoyed to reunite with each other.

"I missed you so much," Emma sobbed, happily.

"I missed you too, baby," Jay told her, tearfully.

They stopped hugging and they stared into each other's eyes. They dried each other's tears and kissed each other tenderly. When Jay's lips touched Emma's, all of her pain instantly went away. For a brief moment, they almost forgot about Taylor. So, Jay went over to Emma's car and took Taylor out of her carseat.

"Hey, baby boo," Jay said."Did you miss me?"

Taylor smiled at Jay with her adorable toothless mouth. As Jay held Taylor in his arms, it didn't bother him anymore that she wasn't biologically his daughter. He's been there for her since day one, so he might as well be her father. What has Sean done for her? Nada.

They all headed into the house and locked the door. As Emma went to the kitchen to feed the dogs, Jay took Taylor upstairs to her bedroom. As he paced around the room, he rocked her in his arms until she fell asleep.

"That's a good girl," Jay whispered.

He gave the baby a soft kiss on the forehead and then gently laid her down in her crib. He shut the light off and left the room. When Emma came upstairs, they headed to master bathroom and showered together. At first, they spent time washing themselves until the pleasant sight of each other's nakedness took control of them.

They kissed and made love. They started in the shower and it ended in the bedroom. When they were finished with that beautiful passionate moment, they lied down next to each other and smiled. Emma's smile melted Jay's world and made everything around him glimmer and shine.

"Nobody smiles like you, Emma," Jay told her.

"I have to smile," Emma said."I love you so much and I'm so happy to be here with you again."

"This was by far the best love we ever made," Jay said.

"I agree," Emma responded.

They kissed each other.

"So, are you totally happy now?" Emma asked.

"I'm totally happy with you, baby," Jay replied."But there is one other thing on my mind though."

"Is it Manny?" Emma asked.

"Unfortunately," Jay sighed.

"Baby, just forget about her," Emma told him."She and Sean are out of our lives. Let's just move on like we never knew them. I want us to start fresh and new."

"We can do that, but there are just some things people just can't let go," Jay insisted.

"Honey, just try," Emma said.

"Manny needs to pay for what she did to me and to us," Jay stated."She's going to get what's coming to her and I'm going to make sure of it."

"Jay, you just got out of jail and you're not thinking clearly," Emma protested.

"I am thinking clearly," Jay insisted."I've spent weeks thinking about revenge. I tried to let it go, but it's impossible. You don't understand."

"So, what are you going to do Jay?" Emma asked, alarmed."You're really scaring me right now. Don't do anything crazy. Are you planning to kill her or something?"

"No, not at all," Jay replied."I haven't even decided exactly what I'm going to do yet. But when I do, she's going to be sorry."

"Jay, it's not worth it," Emma pleaded with him.

"It _is _worth it," Jay said."Manny doesn't deserve to be happy. When I get through with her and Sean, there will be no wedding."

"Wedding?" Emma asked, confused.

"Yeah, when me and Manny were getting divorced, she told the court that Sean proposed to her," Jay told her.

"Who the hell cares?" Emma scoffed."I don't care if they're getting married. All I care about is being with you. Seeing them suffer isn't going to make or break _our _relationship."

"Don't you want your daughter back?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Emma responded, slowly.

"Well, I guarantee you that whatever plan I come up with for revenge, it's going make Dakota see Manny for who she really is and she's going to want to come back home to you," Jay assured her.

"Really?" Emma asked.

"Yes," Jay replied."Baby, I promise you, I'm going to help you get your daughter back. Sean and Manny won the battle, but they won't win the war. It may take time, but it'll happen. What do you say?"

Emma thought about it for a few seconds and then she said."Count me in."

Jay smiled and gave Emma an "Obama-style" fist bump to emphasize his commitment to her; not just as a couple, but as a team.

"The bitch is going down," Jay declared.

**To be continued…………………………………………………………………………..**

**Author's Note: That's the end of Screaming Infidelities Part One, please stand by for Part Two. I will start posting "Screaming Infidelities Part Two" very soon. It should be up in a day or two. It won't be long. If you thought this fanfic was intense, you have no idea what kind of drama I have in store for the sequel. I appreciate the support of all my readers and reviewers. And I hope you all will support the sequel. It's gonna be intense. In the meantime, give me some reviews and feedback for this chapter. Thank you and be blessed. **

**(This was an original story from SetRobOff, but please keep in mind that I don't own Degrassi or anything of its characters EXCEPT the ones I created)**


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